Serrano’s Duo Charged after Incident Involving Female Conductor
The two bus operators from Serrano’s bus company have been arrested and charged after allegedly assaulting a female conductor in Ladyville earlier this week. On Thursday Hernan Serrano and Ronald Mejia were slapped with separate charges after being detained Wednesday. Their alleged victim, however, says her injuries warranted stronger charges. News Five Paul Lopez takes at closer look.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Hernan Serrano of Serrano’s Bus Service and his employee Ronald Mejia both appeared inside the Belize City Magistrate Court on Thursday to be arraigned, after a woman from a competing bus company accused them of hitting her and damaging her phone. Earlier this week we brought you the story of twenty-two-year-old Aaliyah Monima, the bus conductor from Los Lagos Bus Service who was allegedly attacked at a bus stop in Ladyville village. The attack, as we would later learn, stems from an ongoing rivalry among several bus companies in the area. And while the Department of Transport has launched an investigation into the rivalry which led to the incident, both men were officially arraigned for their alleged actions. 
Serrano was arraigned for a single count of harm. His employee, Mejia, was arraigned for a single count of damage to property. Throughout the course of the week Monima has personally been pressing the Ladyville precinct to ensure that the men were arrested and charged. And while she told News Five that their arrests and arraignment have brought some relief to her, on Monday she said that she felt as if the doctor’s diagnosis of her injuries downplays the seriousness of the men’s violence.
Aaliyah Monima
Aaliyah Monima, Bus Conductor, Los Lagos Bus Service [File: June 1st, 2021]
“My face is just hurting. My left arm is swollen. I was bleeding from the mask, but it did not show anything. It sad weh ah happen, because two men beat me up like man and police say that just by the medical report deh wah charge he by, which is just harm.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
Both men were granted bail and are to reappear at a later date.
