P.G. Family alleges police brutality in death of hospital driver
Francisco Shol
While police are investigating two of their own in San Pedro for alleged brutality, in the south there is also an ongoing investigation into what caused the death of Punta Gorda Hospital driver, Francisco Shol. By family accounts, Shol was beaten up by an off duty police officer who transported him to the hospital. He was later found dead in a drain and family members say he had a fractured skull. Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
The untimely death of fifty-three year old Francisco Shol of Punta Gorda Town has sparked an investigation by local authorities following allegations that his death may have been caused by an officer. Shol until his death was employed as a driver by the Punta Gorda Hospital and was treated there for injuries following an altercation at Janny’s Restaurant and Sports Bar, formerly known as P.G. Sports Bar. Shol discharged himself from the hospital, but while heading home in the Indian Ville Area, he collapsed in close proximity to his house and was subsequently transported by air-ambulance to the K.H.M.H. where he died.
Ernel Dominguez
Insp. Ernel Dominguez, Officer in Charge, Punta Gorda Police Formation
“About nine p.m., Punta Gora Police visited the Punta Gorda Town Hospital Emergency Ward where they saw Ketchi descent male person lying in an unconscious state. Investigation revealed on Friday, fourteenth December, 2012 at about seven-thirty a.m., Francisco Shol, fifty three years Belizean driver of Indian Ville Area, Punta Gorda Town was found by family members in a drain in an unconscious state on Toledo Street in Punta Gorda Town. Francisco Shol was seen prior to his discovery, drinking at the P.G. Sports Bar. He was apparently earlier that morning rushed to the P.G. Town Hospital by what alleged to be police officers in an unmarked vehicle.”
But it appears that Shol was beaten at the bar by someone he knew; an officer of the Special Patrol Unit who was not attached to the P.G. Police Unit.
Moses Shol, Son of Deceased
“It was some officer who was drinking with my father at the P.G. Sports Bar and I think he maybe had some misunderstanding with my father. But I know that my father, when he drinks, he does not look for any trouble and it shocked me to hear what they did to my father; they beat him up. I heard that the officer hit him in the club and it looked like he neva get enough of it so he went and dragged him out of the club on the street on the side of the walkway; which I heard he grabbed him in the throat and on his pants and dash him on the floor twice—not once, twice. And then he further maybe slapped him up and dashed him in the pickup truck and went to the hospital.”
According to Shol’s son, Moses, the doctors said that his father’s skull was fractured during the fight and that there are pictures and videos that were taken of the brutality that his father endured.
Moses Shol
Moses Shol
“They flew him out on the Wings of Hope and they went straight to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City and from what I know, the doctors say he had a fractured skull which was internal bleeding for him. So they said to be prepared for the worse for him.”
The allegations have now sparked an investigation by Punta Gorda Police which according to Officer Commanding the Punta Gorda Formation, Inspector Ernel Dominguez, will leave no stone unturned.
Duane Moody
“If this allegation is true, it is police officers killing another man?”
Insp. Ernel Dominguez
“I am not direct to say that is the case in this one; however, as our investigation goes forward, if it should lean in that direction, then I cannot talk for the individual person, but I must say that the police department is not here to condone any such wrongdoing. As a police department we are mandated to serve and protect and it doesn’t matter to us who are the persons who are involved in whatever criminal activities that take place in the community. It is our responsibility to carry out a comprehensive investigation and on the end of the day deal with the perpetrators.”
The family is asking for justice; they say that Shol will be remembered as a good father.
Moses Shol
“He was a good father; he was always there for his family. He worked hard for his family. He tried to raise his children in a good way that one day they would be somebody; have an education. He is just gone like that and I can’t say why.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
To served and protect thats what the police all over the country forgot!!!!! We need to pay them more and send them to a real police school. Some conseling for them and family because most police abuse their wife and kids. I am not surprise them doing that to other people.
I keep the tell unu that this pm and gov are prejudice they hate Spanish people this pm is the biggest biggot in Belize unu Betta wake up all the Spanish in Belize unu Betta wake up because this pm and gov want to hurt unu and kill unu I just hear that this pm has been letting in Haitians and Nigerians by the hundreds in Belize he wants to grow the black population and kill off all a unu Spanish unu Betta wake up dispiertan es tie mpo para la revolucion si no te van a matar.
let the people take pic videos as how police make arrest and make viral to show exactly what they do. It’s dispicable to see them act like that. they are here to serve and protect unless the arrested is being unruly then they can be more aggressive if they endanger their life. but this scums like to feel like they can do what ever they want. let’s see what’s the out come of this. make the pics go viral and the videos.
It’s murder. It takes a homicidal beating to fracture a skull.
Murderers should hang, even if they are police. Maybe even more so BECAUSE it is police, who was entrusted with a gun and badge to protect the public, and if the story is true, betrayed that trust.
Can the police in Belize be trusted to catch one their own?
It’s Sad to see what happening there in our country, especially in my home PG of all places. It makes you wander if thats what they teaching these officers at the training grounds there in Belmopan. I thought they were to protect us and make us feel safe but i guess we have to protect our selves from them. I knew him personally and Moses your right, he is a good man, this is unjust and the PM need to step in and do something about these gangster cops. It shouldn’t matter if we are red, white, black or blue. we all need to feel safe and we rely on these uniform people to keep us that way. COME ON PM these cops are doing too much now. They need to learn to know when to act and how to do it. If they are professionals, like they should be, well i guess that word lost its meaning. TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE COPS> PG TIME FI WAKE UP. MOSES keep your head up and i pray your family get justice, this type of attitude is UN call for.
Look who, Dominquez. Next crooked cop out of San Pedro. Even with pictures they still don’t want to arrest no one, well because dah wah black man again. Wait uno see wat the happen, ms-13 and 18th st gang the come get prepared, all uno black police weh call uno self bad uno wah know who dah the real bad man soon. Another police will kill and walk away free, but nothing strange its all ok. Pitty on us spanish.
Our police force needs an entire overhaul .. Professionalizism is seriously lacking and for people skills , well they have none. Police officers should stop acting as we the citizen owe them something and just do their jobs as professionals and not thugs . It is hard to differentiate between the thugs and lawmen . For far too long we are drifting in the wrong direction , needs to stop and correct these details for the law to work as it should. Police officers should be held at higher standards, and punishment should be twice as hard when they break the oat they where put in place to protect. With that said we should up the salaries of police officers that carry out one’s duty like professionals and fire the bad apples after complete investigations is carried out.
The police are a reflection of our society; we reap what we sow and the men in uniform are acting this way cause they know there is no consequences if they behave this way. This is a broken an failed state and the citizens continue to suffer at the hands of the authority. How much longer can this continue?
The overhaul should start with the PM.
Everyone has a God-given right to defend his life, even if it is against rogue police. I’m afraid it has come to that in the Jewel.
I agree with Jay Mac, that punishment for criminal police sohuld be DOUBLE
Punishment for police officers who committed a murder should be severe. As usual cops will cover for cops. Regardless if he was off duty a crime was committed and she should pay for them.
At this point I hope the police will learn when people start defending themselves and when they do they do they had better take it as it comes.
Condolences to the family.
When the British were here we did NOT have police brutality.
I WILL BE SO HAPPY WHEN THE BRITISH TAKES OVER AGAIN, THE SOONER THE BETTER.
OK, HERE IS A SOMEWHAT SOLUTION:
LET US STOP HITTING THE BARS AND CLUBS , LET US STOP DRINKING BEERS AND LIQUORS , LET US STOP GETTING INTO TROUBLE FOR A MONTH, THEN A YEAR !!!
Let`s see what the police will do when there is no crime where they can get mordidas !!!
LAWYERS?
LET THEM GO CLEAN DRAINS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL!!!!
WE DO NOT NEED LAWYERS !!!
WE STOP BEING CRIMINALS FOR GOOD…UNO GO WORK FOR YOUR MONEY !!!!
MY PROTEST AGAINST THE POLICE BRUTALITY IS THAT I WILL NOT DRINK RUM IN BELIZE THIS XMAS, I WILL TRAVEL ALL THE WAY TO CHETUMAL FOR A BEER ON XMAS DAY, THAT IS MY PROTEST AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY !!!!
LET US KILL THEIR BUSINESS … WAKE UP BELIZE, WAKE UP !!!!