Rogue cop charged with attempted robbery and conspiracy
Jermaine Mangar
Few crimes, mainly robberies, were reported over the extended Easter weekend. It is comforting news since the sensational announcement last Thursday when the Commissioner of Police, Crispin Jefferies, and Prime Minister Dean Barrow informed that a ring of rogue cops who had terrorized the nation with robberies and possible murders, had been busted. News Five identified Jermaine Mangar as the main suspect in the string of violent crimes. This morning, however, Mangar was taken to court and only two charges were placed on him. Marion Ali has been following this story and has a report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
This is the police constable, Jermaine Mangar, who police say was the mastermind behind a series of recent armed hold-ups. And last week Thursday when Police Commissioner Crispin Jeffries called a news conference, it was to share what they had on this officer. Just to recap, we run a portion of those excerpts again.
Dean Barrow, Prime Minister (March 31, 2010)
“Those that were involved in the operation last night and who took into custody the suspects that are presently in lockdown confirmed to all of us that at least one of those suspects has offered information, has made a statement and has provided details that make it absolutely clear that there is a ring that was operating. The statements that the police were able obtain from those in custody make it clear that it was not just this one police officer. And the public should know that by the end of the day other police officers will at the very least be suspended pending the outcome of the investigations. So one police officer is in custody. He was caught red-handed. Last night Mr. Blackett and Mr. Broaster set up a sting and this man was caught red-handed. So there’s no question about him being charged and there’s no question about his being the leader.”
Mangar was brought to court in the morning but was returned to the Queen Street Police Station and brought back to court this afternoon. But his charge sheets did not read anything close to the major allegations against him. He is charged with: Attempted Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit Robbery. They are charges that his defense attorney, Dickey Bradley says are going to embarrass the Police Department.
Dickie Bradley, Defense Attorney for Jermaine Mangar
Richard "Dickie" Bradley
“The impression given to the people of this country is Mangar is part of some police ring that has been masterminding these things, which is a very serious matter. But now that we see the charges, they are two minor charges in comparison to other matters. He didn’t rob any place, there’ll be no identification parade to say that they saw him along with others trying to get into any place to rob, and it’s easy to accuse somebody of conspiring. You and I are conspiring right now to do an interview – big deal, you understand?”
Mangar’s common-law wife, Cassie Usher, also volunteered comments to the media, in which she claimed that Mangar is a good police officer who was set up.
Cassie Usher, Common-law wife of Jermaine Mangar
“Someone from the streets set up my husband and they are working with the senior officers from the Police Department. And this is why because they cannot control the crime here in Belize.”
Marion Ali
“Okay, you’re claiming that they set up your husband, but police said they caught him red-handed. The Prime Minister said they caught him red-handed. They called him to collect his share and he showed up.”
Cassie Usher
Cassie Usher
“No, I do not agree with that ma’am.”
Marion Ali
“So he didn’t show up at the location?”
Cassie Usher
“No.”
Marion Ali
“How did he get there? How was he apprehended?”
Cassie Usher
“I don’t know. We have witnesses that will prove him not guilty.”
Marion Ali
“Do you have an alibi for him? Was he with you at the time?”
Cassie Usher
“Yes ma’am, more than one alibi, more than one.”
Marion Ali
“It’s the police that’s saying he showed up to collect his amount.”
Cassie Usher
“Because they’re trying to cover it up.”
Marion Ali
“Okay, you’re saying he didn’t show up.”
Cassie Usher
“No.”
To make her case, Usher produced letters of commendation that Mangar received from Police Chief Jeffries in the recent past.
And this is the house which police allege Mangar showed up to collect his share of proceeds that were to have been stolen in a hold-up at Chon Saan Palace that same Wednesday night. His alleged partners in crime were nabbed before that robbery could take place and they gave police information that they later used to lure Mangar to the location where they say he collected the marked notes.
News Five has a copy of surveillance images which show a white taxi arriving at the location on Wednesday night. It is this white taxi police say Mangar arrived in to collect his portion of the money, after which he was apprehended by officers on the scene. In court today Mangar was refused bail and was ordered back to court on May sixth. Marion Ali for News Five.
Would somebody please start punishing these ignorant sob’s
What ?
A cop gone bad in Belize ? NOOOOOOO couldnt be.
man thats just another day at the zoo around here.
Vacation Belize, you dont need casinos to lose it all, we have police to show you a good time.
Look how can we feel safe now if even our own protectors are now corrupted. what a shame this is how far our country has now gone and what is the P.M doing well sitting and only watching this country needs a real turn around and the Government needs to start doing it’s job that they were elected to do and stop fooling the Belizean people.
Cassie Usher
“No, I do not agree with that ma’am.”
Marion Ali
“So he didn’t show up at the location?”
Cassie Usher
“No.”
Marion Ali
“How did he get there? How was he apprehended?”
Cassie Usher
“I don’t know. We have witnesses that will prove him not guilty.
As if we the people expect her to say something surprising. Miss usher thinks there are dragons on the other side of her bed too.
Perhaps miss usher should have gathered some real evidence before she approached the media. She has not given me any evidence what-so-ever of her husband’s innocence; her poor attempt of being his alibi only makes her common-law husband look even more like a crooked cop.
The police claimed that they caught the crooked cop Jermaine Mangar in the act
During a “police sting”; they also claimed that they even have proof on cameras.
What the police need to do is to release this very important piece if footage of the deal in motion to the public. You’ll be doing all of us a favour, there is no need to make this case any more complicated than it is at the moment.
You caught your crook, he was a cop, lock the b………. up.
if police can prove that this man showed up for his share of money, then he is guilty,guilty, and I hope he gets what he deserve, as for the wifey, we don’t expect nothing better from her, she have to understand that if her husband is guilty then he have to pay the consequences of his action as for dickie bradley there is nothing good to say about him he is rich telling lies for these type of people and he is good at lying,, everybody knows that in belize, he will surley rotten in hell along with his guilty clients.
dickie you’re really a d@#%4 your names says it all. instead of helping us stop the crime you fight for this s.o.b to get a minimal charge? reason why is that with all the money he stole already can buy you clean, while your own party are crying of unstopable crime and you helping him. so stupid things politicians does.
anything u do in life your suppose to prepare to pay the consequences for it. all wicked police and polititian. anything u do in the dark will come to the light heathen. Majestic Alley man seh so.
I am not sure why Cassie is playing dumb… I don’t think she realize that she could be an accomplice to theft and murder. Standing there trying to defend her husband who is as guilty as Michael Jackson touching little boys. It’s good to see that a wife would do something like that but it goes to show you that money can buy love. Like what Belizean boy said… you do the crime you pay the consequence. Nice glasses by the way Cassie!
I hope that Jeffries and the Prime Minister is right on target for the sake of our people and I also hope that Officer Mangar and other accused Police Officers are not being targetted as “Fall Guys” thinking that it will do our country any good, because it will only get worse if they’re wrong.
I am all for arresting and charging the right culprits. I understand that there are rougue Cops everywhere, but the fact of the matter is, not condoning in what these officers are accused of, I personally believe that morale of members of the force has dropped drastically caused by their own internal beauracracy and promition of personnel. The next thing is, now that it is all up in the air about these supposed rougue cops, I pray to God that these Senior Law Enforcement Officers don’t jump on the Band Wagon to arrest and charge some of these cops via statements provided to them from criminals, because if it is found in the future that they are wrong, it will not only cost our country financially but our dedicated officers will not perform as true and honest Police Officers. Who knows, our dedicated officers might not be performing in full throttle to prevent and serve because of these allegations and the criminals are having a field day and a lot of laughs. Again, I hope to God that our Judicial System will have the last laugh because if not, the whole world will be laughing at us again. When you’re a leader shit like this go up hill because you’re responsible for hiring idiots (Jack-asses). Soh when all hell bruck lose, “I and I wah blame yoh fu everyting weh goh wrang”. Unnu da like wah drown man di reach out fu wah straw fu save ihself fram goh anda water. Mr. Prime Minista da too much now, da weh you wah do now bicause you have some good Ministas and some bad ones to. I wanda weh wah goh on nex election, bicause look like di Good Ministas dem wah goh down with the Bad ones dem and da who fah fault you tink wah caus it? Ah very disappointed man, but life hafto goh on bicause Mr. Prime Minista, ah hope you di do di right ting fu fix dis ya nonsense. Wi di live inna wah world a shit mi bredda.
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That’s to show you how attorneys look at things around here. They are only interested in making money….when they should be condoning these acts. Time to make the PM address these issues to the fullest extent of the law. Implement stricter rules for recruiting police officers and/or BDF personnel and monitor their performances more closely.
well as for me i got nipped with $100. note by a girl she claims she work for the police and a prosecuter!! cunning little b…. if you ask me!! you know who you are ( your name start with a k) and she goes to high school across the wooden bridge. she use white uniform!! crazy shit goin on!! open your eyes people!!
Dickey come on! get the damn criminals off the street and stop defending them!
ms. Usher get to reality, you will survive without your crook husband!
This big reveal has been found wanting…..this is puro bull…..I expected big names and heads to called and rolled….a constable…oh jeez…pulease…..gimme a break yer……
The first cleaning up the gov’nt need to start doing is with the police department!!!! And put them where they really belong. Belize its time to wake up and start to defend ourselves from the ones that should be protecting the community!!!
see now the robbery stop. this is the correct guy. what a shame! police involve! ms. usher don’t satisfied from what she got. she want’s to be a million air like her sister too?
I believe that all these corruption in our country is because of the high tax on everything and believe me these government workers pay salary remains the same. So what needs to be done needs to be done, who needs to be dead will be dead to survive cause everyone wants to live good as well. These cops already made up their minds to do such things and if being caught well what the hell.
I totally disagree with you Elijah.
People are not satisfied with the taxation in your country, but they live by it, and still survive, while small minorities which are a bunch of idiots like Jermaine Mangar think he has the right to live a good life at the cost of other people’s lives.
He was not set up, he is not innocent, and if he is set free you are not safe.
yaw d people who are suppose to be protecting us is surely doing a good job. instead of these crooked cops going around taking advantage of people thats what they should do look at their left these criminals they are looking for is not too far away. and to you mangar pay back is a b..ch, you and yo click like d go bout the chance pple, tek dat and i hope u pay.
POLICE DAH BAD MAN AND BAD MAN DAH POLICE! SHAME ON U !
Cassie da jus like all di rest of them…she no wa get up pan tv and sey she hussie guilty……all her fruits done now just like di rest of Mangar’s friends that were enjoying the sweets!!
Cassie sit down and no open yu mouth! Yu mi look real silly!!!!