Charges against accused income tax thieves dropped

A D.P.P. memo sent to Belize City Magistrate’s Court today has resulted in charges being dropped against two men in connection with a brazen robbery at the Income Tax Department. While no official reason has been given for the move by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, tonight we understand that both defendants, David Longsworth and Kenroy Espinoza, were also the only witnesses scheduled to testify, and neither is cooperating with authorities. Both Longsworth and Espinoza were arrested and charged with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery following an incident on July fifteenth. On that Friday afternoon, a gunman walked into the offices of the Income Tax Department on Mahogany Street and held up the cashier, stealing some fourteen thousand three hundred and forty two dollars in cash. And while both accused men will walk for the robbery, tonight the charge of handling stolen goods filed against David Longsworth does stand. During investigations, police maintain they recovered three thousand dollars in cash from Longsworth’s possession.