Uniformed cops allegedly drinking and beating bailiff
Leonardo Yama
Police officers Constable Leonardo Yama and Sergeant Jose Ortega have been charged following an altercation which left a Magistrate’s Court bailiff toothless. According to the victim, he was socializing at a bar on September sixteenth when he encountered both uniformed officers drinking. He commented to Yama and Ortega that it was a disgrace to be drinking in their police attire, which resulted in a physical assault. The man, who was repeatedly struck in the face, lost a tooth and sustained an abrasion to the lip. Forty-one year old Yama appeared unrepresented before Magistrate Edd Usher where he was read a single charge of wounding. His accomplice, Sergeant Ortega, was absent from court today citing illness. Yama has since been granted and met bail in the sum of three thousand, five hundred dollars. Yama is scheduled to return to court on November twenty-second while Ortega is yet to be charged with wounding.
I think the that the court and Internal Affairs should deal with both officers and all officers that are caught drinking alcohol in their uniforms. It is a disgrace to the Police Department and citizens of this country to be drinking in their uniforms.. I am sure that in becoming an officer they took an oath of conduct, and they need to follow that oath.
What kind of example are they portraying to the public? They should be relieved off their duties……
If there is no regulation that forbids drinking on duty or in uniform, then Doug Singh must do his job and create one!
I am so embarrassed about Belize’s police department.
And if a police is convicted of a crime, they should ALWAYS go to jail. We have to weed out the bad and rogue cops in a rough manner.
less stupid laws about tints and sim cards and more against corrupt cops and politicians…then crime will come down
what a lame excuse “citing illness”the scum might have goma for drinking all the time. get his candy @$$ in the court and charge him also. jeez what a shame from the court system that excuses a suspect to present himself due to illness. mein Belizean justice is a real joke and an international shame.
FIRE THEM BOTH