Another murder case falls apart
Kent Pandy
There have been numerous murders in Belize over petty arguments, and the fatal stabbing of eighteen year old Allen Sutherland was one of those cases. Sutherland was allegedly killed in a confrontation over a video game in November of 2006 and over three years later, the accused man walked free. Kent Pandy was today acquitted of murder and the reason is the most common these days; a lack of witnesses’ testimony. The first person called to the stand was Kirk Lamb, but all he had to say was that his name was actually Carl and that he never gave a statement to police. The main witness, Steven Gomez, never made it to court and told the DPP’s office that he would not testify because he was threatened and feared for his life. With nothing else to go on, Yohhahnseh Cave, who appeared for the prosecution had no choice but to throw in the towel on yet another case. While Pandy ran out of the court celebrating his freedom, Sutherland’s mother, Joan, said she was expecting justice today and was so overwhelmed by the bad news that fainted as she left the courtroom. When she was revived, she spoke to our court reporter and expressed her dissatisfaction with the outcome of the case.
Joan Sutherland, Mother of Allen Sutherland
Allen Sutherland
When dehn kill Allen my whole family was destroyed and now di second of March, dehn destroy it all ova again because dah two witness… (wipes tears) and every time wah case call a murder always walk free cause dehn short ah witness. I’ve been troubled by the mother. For instance, yesterday I deh out deh; I sit down een deh and one ah di lady just pass and push me. I noh seh nothing to dehn but dehn don’t know. If she were a mother and she loved the way I love my kids them, she would have known exactly how I feel and the pain that I am going through. But she has a cold, cold heart and there is not a word to explain or words to say what Kent Pandy has done to my family. She know and Kent Pandy know dat dah dehn, dat dah Kent Pandy kill my son fi ih own video game; come and kill my son. I turn round and I get this? There is no justice in Belize right now, none. So yoh could just come and kill somebody and go dah jail fi wah two, three years and walk out free again, come back and kill somebody again.”
Anita Nembhard, Freelance Court Reporter
“How close was Kent Pandy and your son Allen?”
Joan Sutherland
“They weren’t any kind of friends. It’s like me and you dah friend and I give you di game and you sell it to her. You and her are friends; not me. And he just walk right in and destroy my lee bwai life in di twinkle of an eye and walk out di laugh out yah. Run up di street; they are so happy. Where is the mother’s justice in Belize. Weh happen to di pain weh di mother di go through. Weh happen to di hole weh inna yoh hearten could neva be healed by nothing?”
This time I cannot blame the reckless police force for lack of justice, but it is sad to see mothers grieve over their loss one’s taken away from them by idiots roaming the streets of Belize.
The witness failed a mother and failed a son.
What happens to the Country of Belize when the corupt take over the country completely. This is a good example of why that will happen in the near future. Do Belizeans understand that the people out in the world already know what is going on in the Country of Belize. Belize will no longer be called Belize, it will be called to The Country of The Corrupt. Home of the
“GO FREE MURDERS” PEOPLE OUT IN THE WORLD ARE BEING WARNED DO NOT GO TO BELIZE, IT’S NOT SAFE TO VACATION THERE, BUY HOMES THERE AND ETC. SOMEONE WITH A GOOD EDUCATION AND COMMON SENSE NEED TO START AT THE VERY TOP AND CLEAN UP THE CORUPT SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY OF BELIZE. WHEN THERE IS CORUPTION AT TOP LEVELS THERE IS NO WAY THE LOWER LEVELS CAN EVER BE CLEANED UP. It is already a known fact the the lower corrupt levels will be used to wipe out anyone in upper levels in both political parties that might actually try to clean up and make a workable decent system. The rest of the world already knows that about Belize, WHY IS THAT?
thanks god my kids went to the us to live it is sad to say but our country is not safe any more we can not trust not evrn in the police or our authorites. common mr barrow do something beause later we wont have no visitors coming to belize. we have to flee from our own country it is a shame.
I think Yolanda Shackron should take some of picture from the website n make some poster where she can post them around the country so people can see the love one that family have lost and they didn’t get any justice.also post some of the family member showing the pain that they are going through.Hoping that everyday the people see it might let them think different. it could be one of their own.on the poster one day.
This inability to prosecute needs to be overcome by training the police on evidence gathering and criminal report writing. Laws need to be updated to prosecute those who refuse to give testimony. Witness protection system need to be implemented.
CEO, be easy on the people mein. Ignorant is a hurtful word. There’s a way to correct people without being so rude. Keep it classy.
to you grieving mothers I just want to say God promise that (vengeance is his) keep on praying and pray for your enemies, cause what will befall on then will be no joke believe me!!
To the mother of Kent Pandy, God know the truth and if your son really committed the crime the time will come when you will cry more tears than Miss Joan, so better get on your knees and ask God to deliver you from the disaster than will soon take place in your life and the life of your son..Cause if you do not repent and ask for forgiveness you will not be forgiven
Geez if the witness said he was threatened, why the DPP doesnt question this guy as to whom threatened him. So everytime a witness says they are afraid the DPP will accept a loss.? “Note to all murderers, if you want to get away with murder just threaten your witness, the DPP wont do Jack Shit and you will go home free.” Thats what they are saying.
…………., i you knew the entire story you wouldnt be calling him a murderer. the kid that died had a lot of time to go to the hospital to seek treatment but he refused. the stabbing then later turn to a fatal wound and was later treated as a murder.
I just quickly Googled “how to start a witness protection program” and I got to this story about one starting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA). Guess how much money it cost to start it? $US 50,000!
That’s $BZ 100,000 just to start the program! Read more about it here: http://www.wisn.com/news/16266564/detail.html
It looks like something that we will only be able to achieve generations from now once we have developed our economy. I don’t see any witness protection program happening in Belize in the near future.
Does anyone have an example of a witness protection program in a country that is at similar stage of social and economic development as Belize? I’m not finding any …
We could talk about “opportunities” and “programs” to help prevent crime but let’s face it, if someone is threatening a witness, that’s a hardened criminal and no amount of social programs are going to help. I only wonder, what happens if Belizeans start arming themselves and fighting back? It’s a scenario no one wants to see happen but if the courts are unable to grant justice, the police are ineffective, the government is apathetic … what is the average Belizean citizen to do?
I think the problem in Belize is with our court system
I think the problem in Belize is with our court system.because if you are going to let someone off the hook as a result of witness intimidation,then this pattern is going to continue.
I believe that there needs to be amendments to our laws so that if enough evidence is there to convict especially with these murder cases,then by any means do so.
Dont be a witness you will live longer, let the Most High be the judge and witness of these things.
I think belize needs to bring back the death penalty so these ruthless murderers can think twice before just killing another human being without any remorse. I think the law enforcers and law itself is reason why justice is not being served to those who deserve it most.
I was never one to believe in the justice of man…but wait patiently for justice from above.We sit and watch the news about these kids getting killed and we say poor guy.Well let me tell u all something…at least 80% of these kids getting killed in Belize are not innocent little kids.They are big boys getting in over their heads with things they have no place doing and i write off their deaths as justice from above for some grieving parents.Some parents get on tv and say” oh ,my son haven’t done anything wrong’ when they know fully well what their kids are doing.I once told my son,you ended up in the hospital already,and in jail,next is your grave.Make a choice if you want to live or die.I will not swear for my son cause no one knows a child better than their mother.The point of my comment is to tell the parents….justice will arrive on its own time.Its not “if’ but when.
I agree with you 100%.They say we do not have the death penaltyin Belize , but we do it is called street justice. most of these young people who are getting killed are not inocent kids.We all know that.
belizeanbuay…how yu know the boy had lots of time to go to hospital???? you were there???
how can you guys judge some one based on (yer ih soh)???? none of us was there at the time of this murder,but the witness.Hence the reason why none of us can say that Mr. kent pandy killed Mr. Allen Southerland. only the most high can be the judge in this case!!!! so you guys stop pointing fingers because you don’t know and i don’t know.
belizeanbuay seems to me like you have no sense on thinking and I know that common sense is not all that common when it comes to you. You must be doctor to know the difference fbetween a fatal wound and a murder to me *not bieing* a doctor they sound the same. Ediot. Just think if this happens in your family, what would you do, and it also seems to me that you were there, so if this is the case, then why not you go testify on either behalf. You scared too. Have a heart and start thinking for once in your life. By the way the meaning of the word fatal is deadly. Key word there dead. Or maybe your just too dumb to see this….