But earlier today, a number of decisions were handed down by the Court of Appeal to conclude its first session for this year. It ended with good news for fifty-six year old Viola Pook, who was initially convicted and sentenced to life prison back in July 2011 for the murder of her common-law-husband Orlando […]
While Pook remains on remand at the Belize Central Prison, a date for her retrial has not been set. According to Sampson, the overwhelming backlog at the Supreme Court will see her case pushed back indefinitely. FOR VIDEO CLICK HERE. Simeon Sampson, Attorney for Viola Pook “The retrial date for the Court of […]
While Viola Pook will get a retrial, Aracely Cahueque is on trial in the Belmopan Supreme Court. In October 2010 Cahueque and three men were accused of the horrific murder of an eighteen year old UB student, Raylene Dyer. Roaring Creek residents Brandon Budna, Jason Anderson and Darren Banner were accused of butchering the […]
As we’ve told you, the tragedy of Raylene’s cruel death has been compounded by another travesty – the matter never even reached full trial, and the three men walked. On Tuesday state-appointed attorneys for the three accused informed Justice Hanomansingh that the confessions to the crime were not obtained in accordance with the law, and […]
The Court of Appeal on Thursday also reserved its decision in the case of twenty-six year old Gregory August. August was convicted of the May 2009 death of seventy-three year old Alvin Robinson in Western Paradise at mile eight on the George Price Highway. Robinson, who was physically disabled and blind in one eye, was […]
Three men – Roaring Creek construction workers twenty-one year old Darren Banner, twenty year old Jason Anderson and twenty-four year old UB student Brandon Budna are free after being incarcerated since October 2010. On Wednesday, all three men were acquitted of the murder of Raylene Dyer. The tragic murder of eighteen year old Dyer shocked […]
Interdicted police officer, Police Constable Ronald Sutherland who was charged in October 2013 with three criminal offenses including aggravated assault with a machete, wounding and threatening words upon his ex-common-law wife, Tanisha Ortiz, found himself today on remand at the Belize Central Prison. That’s because Sutherland failed to report to the Queen Street Police Station […]
Accused murderer Bert Vasquez has been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court for the murder of Jasmine Lowe. The decision was handed down at the preliminary inquiry today after submissions by Vasquez’s attorney Simeon Sampson and Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal. Sampson first made a submission of no case to answer, stating […]
After deliberating for hours, a jury decided the fate of thirty-eight year old Vanzie Lamb, a Belize City man accused of forcibly abducting a fourteen year old primary school girl from a vehicle and raping her. When the jury emerged this afternoon, Lamb was found not guilty of rape. The alleged rape is said to […]
Twenty-two year old Kirk Smith Jr., who has been on remand for almost four years walked free late this afternoon from a charge of murder. Smith was accused of the August 2010 murder of thirty-five year old Eyan Arnold, a janitor employed at the time at Wesley College. After Justice Adolph Lucas directed the […]
While Smith has been freed of a murder charge, thirty-seven year old Oliver Peters has been arraigned for murder. Peters is accused of stabbing his uncle to the left side of the chest in a bitter land dispute; the injury eventually led to Thomas Ferguson Senior’s death. Today, Peters was arraigned and read a single […]
Ten minutes ago News Five received an update from Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal via email. She confirmed that at five forty-three this evening investigators visited her office to finally present a file. Because of the late time we’ll bring you her written remarks verbatim. Vidal states, quote – “As you are all aware, […]
Twenty-one year old Christy Ramclam, a resident of Tigris Street, was arraigned in the courtroom of Magistrate Leslie Hamilton today, where she was read a single charge of possession of a controlled drug. She was found in possession of twelve grams of cannabis hidden between her legs. According to Claudia Nicholas, a female warden at […]
Thirty-one year old Natalie Hamilton, a resident of Periwinkle Street, was once again before the court today, on a criminal charge for weed possession. The former special constable appeared before Magistrate Leslie Hamilton this morning where she was read a single charge of possession of a controlled drug. In the past, whenever someone was caught […]
After more than four years on remand for the January twelfth, 2011 execution style murder of Kraal Road leader, Raymond “Killa” Gentle, one of two accused men was found not guilty of murder. The decision was handed down by Justice Adolph Lucas on Wednesday. In acquitting Corwin Bennett, Justice Lucas noted that while he believed […]
A five-year ordeal is finally over for the Coye family of Belize City. This afternoon, the Court of Appeal overturned Melonie Coye’s conviction for money laundering and ordered the Financial Intelligence Unit to return one point five million dollars plus interest forfeited from her company, Money Gram International. Her father, Michael, was also exonerated posthumously. […]
Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin today issued a writ of Mandamus against Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie. In simple terms, the Court has now instructed Whylie to criminally investigate the Won Hong Kim passport scandal and, of course, the man in the middle of it all, former Minister of State Elvin Penner. In addition, the Chief […]
The pressure to have the man who apparently masterminded the Won Hong Kim passport fraud criminally investigated and charged refuses to go away, despite government’s best efforts. And it is building rapidly. Wherever former Minister of State Elvin Penner was today, his ears must have been ringing. The P.U.P. requested and received permission this week […]
Tonight, Ryan Alvarez, a resident of Supal Street, is on remand after he was accused of pulling a gun on his own uncle. This morning, Ryan, who was unrepresented, appeared in the courtroom of Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith where he was read a single charge of aggravated assault upon forty-nine year old Dwight Alvarez. […]
Twenty-seven year old Lenny Bennett Benguche, who was freed of attempted murder in 2010, was today sentenced to ten years in prison. Benguche was found guilty of maim last Friday in the chamber of Justice Troadio Gonzalez. During his mitigation plea this morning, Benguche was remorseful. His last words from the stand were, “I am […]
Back in January 2011, Kraal Road gang leader, Raymond Gentle, aka “Killa”, was executed at his jobsite in Belize City while he and his co-workers were building a wooden structure. Today, the person accused of the violent execution saw his trial by judge come to an end. He is twenty-year-old Corwin Bennett, and he will […]
Shane Budram is no stranger to the courts or police. The thirty-seven year old street figure has been before the court on a slew of charges; he was back today to face a charge of Kept Ammunition Without A Gun License. But Budram escaped jail time when he was told he had no case to […]
In Monday’s newscast, we reported on the shooting of twenty-one year old Computer Technician, Andrew Augustine. While Augustine remains hospitalized, police believe the alleged gunman was twenty-three year old Stephon Anderson. And late this evening, the Ebony Street resident was charged and arraigned before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith. An unrepresented Anderson was slapped with […]
Tanya McNab, a Belize City resident, was robbed at knife point in December 2012 by a man who stole her handbag valued at two thousand dollars. Her bag contained her equally expensive two thousand, five hundred dollar phone and other personal items. But ultimately it was the phone that assisted in the capture of her […]
Sherman Rodney is claiming he was beaten badly by the police and had to be hospitalized. And while the cops say he escaped from the K.H.M.H., Rodney says he walked out because he was not booked. That is what he told News Five on Monday night, adding that he made a report to the Office […]
