The preliminary inquiry in the case against La Cabana Bar owner, Mike Menjivar, concluded today. The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is only pursuing charges against, Menjivar, after his wife and housekeeper were freed last Thursday. This afternoon, Prosecutor Lucio Shal argued that there is sufficient evidence against Menjivar in the statements provided […]
On Monday, police raided the Belize City house of radio talk show host, Glenn Tillett. They reportedly found computers that had been stolen from the Embassy of El Salvador in Belmopan. Tillett and his family were at home at the time and were detained for questioning. Tillett, however, had to be taken to the Western […]
The fleet of buses of veteran operator, Froylan Gilharry, remains parked at his company’s garage in Corozal Town tonight. His fifty-eight employee were sent home in mid-June when the Transport Department re-scheduled a number of runs across the western and northern zones soon after the conflict among bus operators and government over runs granted to […]
Also in court, a father and son who admitted to stealing oranges from a farm in La Democracia Village, which is managed by Ray Olgadez, have been slapped with a huge fine. According to forty-eight year old Santo Tzul and twenty-three year old Jose Luis Shol, they intended to sell the twenty sacks of oranges, […]
In the Supreme Court, the last murder trial with jury concluded today since trials without juries are now in effect. The Parham cousins, who were accused of the murder of Orlando Montero aka “Vega,” are free men tonight. Vega died after a July tenth altercation that occurred as he stepped off a bus destined for […]
Five Belize City men, including a pair of well-known street figures, are on remand tonight following a recent burglary at the Salvation Army School. The five were found with the stolen computers and accessories believed to have gone missing in the burglary. Nineteen year old Elmer Lenarez, twenty-four year old Cruz Allen and forty-four year […]
Wesley Emmanuel has been in prison for about three years, following the murder of Emilio Orlando Gomez in June 2008. Last December, Emmanuel had a brief taste of freedom after the Director of Public Prosecution’s office entered a nolle prosequi in the case. But the smile that comes with freedom was cut short as he […]
The murder trial of cousins Derrick and Kenrick Parham commenced this morning in the chamber of Justice Adolph Lucas. Both men are accused of stabbing Orlando Montero, also known as Vega, in the wee hours of July eleventh, 2008 near the Mahogany Heights community. It is alleged that Montero was at the bus stop when […]
The preliminary inquiry in the case against La Cabana Bar owner, Mike Menjivar, started today in Belmopan before Magistrate Adolph Lucas Junior. Attorney, Arthur Saldivar, made a no-case submission, arguing that Menjivar was protecting his property on May twentieth when a shootout erupted during a Gang Suppression Unit raid at his property. Saldivar’s reasoning is […]
Bert Vasquez has been behind bars since February of this year on charges of aggravated assault of an indecent nature and unlawful imprisonment. Today Vasquez found out he has to spend at least another month and a half in jail after he was additionally charged with forcible abduction and attempted rape. It’s a case that […]
Also in court, a taxi driver and two George Street residents were all charged with Drug Trafficking after they were found inside a Dodge Ram with marijuana hidden under the driver’s seat. Twenty-six year Brian Herrera, aka “Bido”, eighteen year old Albert Fuentes and forty-six year old Clarence Lino were arraigned this morning in courtroom […]
Western Union received a not-so-warm welcome to the north side when its new office on Coney Drive was broken into one week after the relocation. The on-duty security guard was tied up and a safe containing sixty thousand dollars was stolen. It was believed that several persons were involved in the crime, but only one […]
Trenton Smith was twice tried for the same murder and today he won his freedom. Smith, who was accused of killing Tyrone Castillo in August 2007, was released today when the main witness, the infamous Jervis Valencia, took the stand and told the court he never saw who pulled the trigger and denied giving details […]
A husband and wife spent the weekend in police lockdown and today they appeared in Magistrates Court to face charges of Child Neglect. Forty-seven year old Albert Gentle and his wife, thirty-two year old Diana, were arrested for allegedly leaving their ten year old disabled daughter locked up alone inside their house on Holy Emmanuel […]
Meanwhile, in the courtroom of Magistrate Dorothy Flowers, twenty-two year old Derrick Sanchez was charged for allegedly kidnapping and robbing a man last Wednesday. Sanchez, a resident of the Ladyville area, is accused of holding Rodrick Williams hostage at gunpoint and stealing his vehicle as well as two cell phones; a total value of four […]
Two men who allegedly ambushed and shot a police officer in the Belama area are free to roam the streets tonight after being released on bail. Twenty-four year old Karim Morris and twenty-seven year old Linsford Acosta are facing numerous charges including, Attempted Murder, Dangerous Harm, Use of Deadly Means of Harm, Robbery and Kept […]
A man, who has been accused of molesting a fifteen year old girl twice in four months, was sent off to the Central Prison today. Forty-four year old Phillip Palacio—not to be confused with the legal aid attorney who bears the same name—is a Belize City sanitation worker. He appeared before Magistrate Albert Hoare this […]
Sixty-eight year old Albert Garbutt, also known as “Red Ants” was charged back in April for exposing himself to a seventeen year old girl. He was released on bail back then, but today Garbutt is a free man because the teenager decided not to pursue further action. So the charge of Aggravated Assault of an […]
Two Belize City men appeared before Magistrate Albert Hoare unrepresented today to answer charges of attempted murder following the shooting of Frank Sinclaire Jr. on Sunday. Around two o’clock that morning Sinclaire was allegedly accosted by twenty-eight year old Keith Lewis and twenty-three year old Marvin Nunez while walking along McKay Boulevard in the St. […]
In November 2010 the landing of an executive jet laden with eighty bales of cocaine along the Southern Highway near the Bladen Reserve made headlines as the biggest drug bust in the country’s history. Arrested for facilitating the arrival of the aircraft and the shipment of its cargo were police officers Renel Grant, Lawrence Humes, […]
Also in court, for the first time in years, a woman has been found guilty of murder. For that crime, today Veola Pook was sentenced to life imprisonment for burning her common-law-husband to death at their home in Rancho Dolores on New Years Eve 2008. The sentence is effective as of July eighth, when she […]
The sensational battle between prominent cardiologist, Dr. John Gough and his neighbor Egbert Nicholson versus the family of sixteen year old Carlos Zelaya Junior started last year and ended today with a settlement. Nicholson was convicted of wounding while Gough was exonerated in the Magistrates Court, but the Zelaya family filed a civil suit against […]
A fifteen year old girl gave birth last Thursday; the same day the news broke that she had been having a sexual relationship with twenty-four year old Police Constable Yannic Wade. Today Wade was arraigned on six charges; two counts of carnal knowledge and four counts of unlawful carnal knowledge for allegedly having sex with […]
A university professor was charged in January for allegedly being in possession of a bulletproof vest, which was prohibited at the time. But according to Leon Leslie, he had no knowledge of the vest which police claim was found inside his vehicle. Today Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer struck out the charge because the arresting officer […]
It’s been a bad week for cops. Yannic Wade is under question for Carnal Knowledge of a fifteen year old girl, who gave birth on Thursday. He hasn’t been charged but another cop did go before the courts today and learned that he will have to stand trial in the October session of the Supreme […]
