4 political supporters accused of defacing opponent’s sign

In December political parties and the police officially signed a code of ethics, promising among other things, to respect each other’s signs. But since then, billboards, posters and banners of both the People’s United Party and United Democratic Party have been defaced, destroyed, and even burnt. Today, four men accused of such vandalism appeared in Belize City Magistrates’ Court. According to George Domingo, the driver of P.U.P. Freetown candidate Francis Fonseca, around nine-thirty last night he was passing one of his party’s signs on Chetumal Street when he saw four men, one of whom was carrying a hammer, in the process of removing the advertisement. Domingo was able to identify two of the perpetrators and police have since arrested thirty-six year old Goldburn “Easy Glen” Adolphus, thirty-three year old James Suazo, twenty-eight year old Peter Castillo, and twenty-three year old Steven Bain. All four were charged with Damage to Property. Interestingly, the men were defended by Fonseca’s political opponent, attorney Michael Peyrefitte. Prosecutor Clinton Magdaleno objected to bail, but Magistrate Sharon Fraser disagreed and offered the defendants bail in the sum of two thousand dollars. However, before they could come up with that cash, Goldburn and Suazo first had to pay outstanding court fees in connection to the infamous November twelfth sign incident. Stemming from that confrontation, Adolphus was charged with Obstruction while Suazo, the chainsaw operator, was charged with five counts of Aggravated Assault. Adolphus owes the court three hundred dollars while Sauzo has a six hundred dollar debt.