According to Attorney Darrell Bradley, an arbitrator from Spain has been selected by the Regional Anti-Doping Organization to oversee the proceedings; that person has since been in contact with the three parties involved. Now, this is not the first instance in which a Belizean athlete has tested positive for a banned substance and there are […]
A jury was still deliberating this evening in the court of Justice Colin Williams for a verdict in the case of Rudolph Smith Junior, charged with rape and aggravated burglary. Smith is accused in an incident that occurred in November, 2011, at a house on Berkley Street. At the time, a fifteen-year-old girl claimed that […]
Attorney Arthur Saldivar is turning against his own party, which he wants to represent. This is all because he is not allowed to run for P.U.P. standard bearer in the Belmopan constituency. On June fifteenth, Saldivar filed an application requesting an injunction at the Supreme Court to halt the convention which was scheduled for this […]
The three candidates who have been accepted to contest the convention are Oscar Mira, Wiezsman Pat and Michelle Rodriguez. After this morning’s court session, Saldivar told supporters who had gathered at Battlefield Park why he wants to contest the P.U.P.’s Belmopan convention. Arthur Saldivar, Suing the P.U.P. “We are looking at a situation in Belize […]
A construction worker from Sand Hill, Belize District, appeared today before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford and was arraigned for robbery to which Jiovanni Augustine pleaded not guilty. Since the offense was committed with a firearm, bail was not an option. Augustine was remanded into custody until August twenty-eighth for the incident which occurred on June […]
The Caribbean Court of Justice today heard arguments concerning a judge in the Belize judiciary. In 2012, Dean Boyce and the British Caribbean Bank Limited, as well as Lord Michael Ashcroft, challenged the lawfulness of a decision made by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. That autonomous, body which recommends the hiring of judges and […]
Given the evidence that is presently before the court, as well as the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, Courtenay says that an investigation should be undertaken to determine whether Justice Awich can remain on the Court of Appeal’s bench. Eamon Courtenay, Attorney for Belize Bank Ltd. “The point we make in relation to the […]
Attorney Leona Duncan, who appeared on behalf of the Solicitor General’s Office, submitted that the decision by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission not to forward the complaint against Justice Awich was the right decision. The basis for her argument is that there are separate provisions under the constitution through which a Justice of the […]
The Caribbean Court of Justice also heard from Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl Lyn Vidal. The D.P.P. is seeking the CCJ to re-instate an oral ruling delivered on twenty-second March 2017 in the case of Gilbert Henry. Henry was found guilty of dangerous harm and sent to jail for five years in 2012. When the […]
The Belize Court of Appeal concluded its sitting today with a number of judgements. The appeal of Jason Bruce Lawrence, who was facing a life sentence for a murder conviction, was reduced to manslaughter and was sentenced to eighteen years, less time already served. The court’s view was that it was a case of diminished […]
The main witnesses in the murder retrial of three men, accused with the murder of B.D.F. soldier James Norales, testified today before Justice Colin Williams. He is Aron Paquiul, a cousin of Norales. The accused are Tyrone Meighan, Orel Leslie and Brandon Baptist. Paquiul avoided looking at the accused men for most of the proceedings […]
This morning before the Court of Appeal, Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay concluded submissions in an appeal challenging a decision handed down by Justice Michelle Arana, in respect of government’s compulsory acquisition of IMMARBE and the International Business Companies Registry in 2013. Both entities fell under the proprietorship of Belize International Services Limited prior to their […]
While he would not disclose the figure that BISL is seeking in damages, Courtenay says that the arguments before the appellate jurisdiction are quite technical and that the case can go either way. Eamon Courtenay, Attorney for BISL “It was a significant amount.” Reporter “Several millions?” Eamon Courtenay “Yeah, in the tens […]
Notwithstanding the case put forward by BISL, government maintains that the company was in contravention of Section 114 of the constitution which speaks to public monies being deposited into the Consolidated Revenue Fund. On adjournment, Solicitor General Nigel Hawke explained G.O.B.’s position. Nigel Hawke, Solicitor General “Our position fundamentally is that there’s not been, […]
Thirty-seven-year-old Dwayne Davis, who pleaded guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter, six years after he was charged with the murder of Doctor Ivan Garcia, learnt his fate today. After hearing mitigation pleas on his behalf last week, Justice Adolph Lucas today handed down a sentence of fourteen years. Considering the time he has spent […]
Justice Adolf Lucas also handed down a ruling in the case of twenty-nine-year-old Jermaine Moody. In the trial of judge without jury, Moody was found not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter in the death of thirty-one-year-old Moses Coc. Coc died from a blow to his head on September thirteenth, 2014 on Angel Coral […]
Freedom for twenty-nine-year-old Cordel Flores was short lived after his recent release from jail on a bail from the Supreme Court. Flores was back in court today, this time before Magistrate Khadeem Palmer, and charged with two counts of drug trafficking for a total of eleven point five kilograms of cannabis, which is over twenty-five […]
Twenty-four-year-old Sheree Gillett appeared before Magistrate Aretha Ford for a charge of burglary. The tour guide is also facing charges of common assault and damage to property, but she pleaded not guilty to all the charges and met bail of five thousand dollars. Gillett is before the courts for an incident on the night of […]
Fifty-six-year-old jeweller Manuel Pacheco, a resident of Cockburn Lane, Belize City, appeared in court today for arraignment. Pacheco, whose business is located on East Collet Canal near to Pound Yard Bridge, is accused with the murder of fifty-year-old Jose Manuel Villanueva. He appeared before the Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser this morning having spent the weekend […]
Police, however, contend that there is sufficient evidence to charge Pacheco, despite reports that he was defending himself and property following an altercation with Villanueva over a dog. At the weekly press brief today, Assistant Commissioner of Police Joseph Myvett said they are relying on surveillance footage to assist in the investigation. ACP Joseph […]
The Court of Appeal today heard an appeal brought by Belize International Services Limited against the government. This follows a win by the government in October 2016, three years after the June 2013 compulsory acquisition of the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize and the International Business Companies Registry. At the time, the Supreme Court […]
From the Court of Appeal to the Magistrate’s Court…more charges were brought today against three Mexican nationals who are already facing charges for theft of credit cards from the Atlantic Bank. The trio is made up of thirty-one-year-old Lionel Rodriguez, twenty-six-year-old Belen Hernandez and twenty-one-year-old Joscan Jafet Hernandez. The couple appeared once again before Chief […]
Twenty-seven-year-old Mathew Moore, accused of murder, was today granted bail. Moore, who has been behind bars waiting for trial since March 2011, was given bail in the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars by Justice Colin Williams. The murder victim is Andrew Moses, who was shot and killed as he walked on Kraal Road, Belize City. […]
The Court of Appeal today heard the case of thirty-two-year-old Gareth Hemmans Junior, who is convicted of attempted murder and is serving an eight-year sentence handed down in October of 2016. But Hemmans Junior will have to wait to learn his fate since the court reserved decision. Hemmans Junior is behind bars for the attempted […]
Thirty-seven-year-old Dwayne Davis remains behind bars tonight pending sentencing. Davis was charged with the 2012 murder of Doctor Ivan Garcia but pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He was to be sentenced today, but Justice Adolph Lucas delayed his decision until next week Wednesday, after hearing mitigation pleas from Davis, his attorney, Bryan Neal and one character […]
