Saturday, August 8th, 2015. Aaron Humes Reporting: In December of 2014 we reported on raids conducted by the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) in the Conch Shell Bay area of Belize City.
In one of them, police are accused of breaking into the home of farmer and retiree
Henry Cunningham, 82, and retrieving his shotgun and $200 in savings while he was out at the market. Eight months later, according to 7 News, Cunningham has yet to get it back, despite having a valid license.
The problem, according to GSU Commander Inspector Mark Flowers, is that the house has “a makeshift lock” and is not properly secure – if the GSU can get in, anyone can.
Flowers told 7 News that he does not have a problem giving the gun back – in fact, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has ordered it, after finding no basis for revocation of his license due to age and security concerns.
But the Inspector insists on being satisfied that Cunningham can safely protect the weapon.
Cunningham, meanwhile, says he has been to several authorities pursuing his case without success. If he cannot get back the weapon, he says, he wants compensation for it. He also wants back his money, which the GSU did not address but have previously claimed they did not take.
Cunningham says no one knew of the weapon, because he always kept it with him when traveling to his farm in Sandhill. He has owned the weapon since 1992.