Virtual Court Appearance for S.O.E. Offenders

Chester Williams

The Kolbe Foundation recently introduced a system where inmates can make virtual court appearances from the Belize Central Prison.  It’s a system that is also being considered by the Belize Police Department in dealing with persons who have been charged for violation of the state of emergency.  In keeping with social distancing protocols, it has been suggested that persons appear before the magistrate’s court virtually, from a location inside the respective precincts.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Well we know that they do go to court, they get bail and go to court.  I spoke to a magistrate this morning and I could call her name, Magistrate Patricia Arana from Orange Walk, and she suggested to me to see if we can probably set up a virtual room at the police station where the persons would be able to answer to the charges from the station instead of going to the courtroom, through Skype or some other means.  I see it as a very good method that we would be able to look at so as not to have that crowd going to the courtroom.  After all, we are trying as hard as possible to not have a number of persons in one area gathered and as well as to ensure that people do maintain social distance.  So I think that her suggestion this morning is a good one and it is one that we are going to explore.”