Belize City mother fined for perjury in molestation case

A Belize City mother has been found guilty of committing a mischievous act during the prosecution of an indecent assault case against her common law husband. Court reports are that following the woman’s admission that she had lied to police, this morning Magistrate Margaret Gabb McKenzie found her guilty of committing a mischievous act and fined her two hundred dollars. But meanwhile in the courtroom of Chief Magistrate Herbert Lord, the charge of aggravated assault was still read to the accused. The case had been stopped on Thursday after the defendant’s wife told the court that she had made up the charge that the couple’s four year old had been molested by her father. In his statement to the court, the Chief Magistrate maintained, “It’s not the first time I dealt with a matter of this nature, it was an incest case where the victim was lying. Under the circumstances, the possibility exists if the lady was telling the truth; it is the mother or guardian who has to make the complaint. I will not dismiss this matter; I will not remand you either. With the statements from the police, we will send this matter to the DPP to see whether he will withdraw this charge and whether anybody will be prosecuted.” The defendant pled not guilty to aggravated assault and was granted bail in the sum of four thousand dollars.