The Joseph Budna abduction case has taken a contentious turn, with Attorney Arthur Saldivar accusing the State of irreversible mismanagement and deliberate concealment of critical information. Saldivar likened the situation to “trying to put the genie back in the bottle,” emphasizing that the government’s actions have created a pattern of secrecy that the court must now address. He revealed that the government has filed two strikeout applications, a move he described as a standard tactic to delay or dismiss the proceedings. Saldivar further asserted that the State has withheld essential evidence, including unaltered video footage, and highlighted the failure of police officers to act as a significant part of the case. “When individuals with a legal duty fail to act, it constitutes an offense,” he stated. The case regained public attention this week when Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal confirmed receiving the case file from Prime Minister John Briceño. Vidal described the file as “less than nothing,” noting that it lacks sufficient evidence to warrant any arrests. Saldivar argued that the file should have been sent to the DPP immediately after the August 23 incident, which would have mitigated the ensuing controversy. Budna, abducted in Orange Walk in August, remains imprisoned in Guatemala, while Constable Barrington Flowers, accused of aiding the abduction, denies all allegations and is currently on full-pay suspension.