Orel Leslie ‘Suffered’ While Behind Bars

Leslie claims he was mistreated and suffered by the harsh conditions at the Belize Central Prison. His attorney, Audrey Matura, says Leslie suffered a grave illness that he had to be placed on a hypertension diet.

Audrey Matura

Audrey Matura, Attorney for Orel Leslie

“He got ill several times. He was dehydrated. There were basic things like water that was reduced. They took away his deodorant, his toothpaste. He was not allowed to even go out and exercise. He was looked down, sometimes not in all the cells, behind what they called the iron curtain. That means you have no ventilation just an iron window with just a glass. It’s a form of punishment. There is no electricity. You are literally placed in a dark, damp place. No mattress, no sponge, nothing to sleep on except a cement slab. When we complaint eventually he got a sheet. The other things that he endured while there is that apart from that having basic better nutrition, he was denied any access t relatives, friends, nobody. You literally live in isolation. You have to look at this claim in light of what the Prison Act says, the prison rules say and what we call the Mandela Rules, based on Nelson Mandela as to what are some of the things a prison can or can’t do. Although people are convicted which he is not, there are certain treatment you have to give them. You can’t deny people water. You can’t deny them basic food. I his case, he got sick at one point that he had to be put on a hypertensive diet as a result of all the I would say nasty environment he got sick. Eventually when we first brought this case to the court the only reason he got some kind of better treatment was because we got a consent order where then the prison authority agree to remove him from where he was and that is when he got back basic things like deodorant, toothpaste, soap.”

The case continues on Thursday.