1 alteration on a cheque equals 1 year in prison for Honduran national
victor sanchez guzman
With the high cost of living, we could all use a little extra on the paycheck. While most hope for it, a twenty-three year old Honduran National went ahead and took it. Businessman, Nigel Matus paid Victor Sanchez Guzman, a cheque for one hundred and ninety-three dollars on March twentieth. It was severance pay for his last week of work because Guzman said he was leaving Matus and Matus Consultants Limited and going back to live in Honduras. But Guzman changed the one to a seven, making it seven hundred and ninety-three dollars and went grocery shopping. He bought goods, totaling twenty dollars and paid with the cheque at Williams Supermarket. The proprietor gave him change in cash, but on April twenty-first they learned that was a big mistake. The cheque bounced when bank officials realized it had been tampered with and Guzman was arrested after Matus confirmed that the amount was changed. Today Guzman was charged for Claiming Upon a Forged Document and he pleaded guilty, saying he did it because had rent and bills to pay. Justice Adolph Lucas fined him three thousand dollars to be paid forthwith, but he couldn’t get the cash so he will spend a year in prison.
At least this one was honest enough to plead guilty and save the tax payers some money maybe there should be some leniency for his honesty what about reducing that to 3 months judge it will free up some jail space for the real bad guys and also save the tax payers 75% of the cost to jail him.
Right on rootsman, I agree with ya
I think the laws of Belize need some serious revision, how can a guy that change a number on a check got one year, when a rapist, murderer, etc. walks out of court free??? I am not taking for this guy, hey he did wrong by forging a check, but come on! at least he didn’t use violence and traumatize other people! Its either our system failing or the ruthless criminals already know the work-around out of the judiciary!
What a joke your’re better off murdering someone in belize than altering a cheque.
What is wrong with our Belizean judiciary system?? You are right – give the man a shorter time – this is a situation in which “HONESTY DOES NOT PAY!” I agree he did wrong by forging, but listen all, this is shameful to punish someone with such a long jail time- for this type of law breaking. If we are coming down so harsh for this type of crime – then tell us how many years should be enforced for robbery, rape, laundering money and I will not even say the word that even before our Belizean babies are born these days is part of their vocabulary.Yes, yes, yes BELIZE we need to brush the dust off those old books and new ones brought in. HURRY UP!