A 27-year-old Belize City taxi driver has been arrested and charged with “Possession of Controlled Drugs with Intent to Supply to Another” following a police checkpoint operation.
On Thursday, October 24, around 12:30 p.m., police stopped a grey Toyota Camry taxi at a vehicular checkpoint between miles 66 and 67 on the Philip Goldson Highway in Corozal. The driver, identified as Karl Theodore Pope, was informed that a search would be conducted on the vehicle for drugs and illegal firearms. During the search, officers discovered eleven parcels of cannabis weighing a total of 9,540 grams.
Pope was subsequently charged with drug possession with intent to supply and pleaded guilty. He has been remanded to the Central Prison, awaiting sentencing in November.
Authorities are investigating a chopping incident that took place in Forest Home Village, Toledo District. On Thursday, October 24, around 11:25 p.m., police responded to reports of the incident. Upon arrival, officers found 37-year-old Denmark Coleman, a Belizean, with a severe open wound to his head.
Initial investigations suggest that Coleman was involved in an argument with a known male individual, which escalated, resulting in the attack. Police are continuing their investigation into the matter.
Several individuals were arrested and charged on Friday, October 25, following an extensive investigation into a series of robberies that took place across Western Belize between June and October 2024.
Report No. 1: In connection with a June 5, 2024, robbery at Country Meat Products Limited on Venezuela Street, Belmopan, police arrested and charged 47-year-old Jonathan David Cruz, an unemployed resident of Belmopan, with robbery. Cruz and 41-year-old police officer Eva Giselle Dawson were also jointly charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.
Report No. 2: Following a June 16, 2024, robbery at Gas Tomza on Shulab Street, Belmopan, Cruz was again charged with robbery. He and Dawson were also jointly charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.
Report No. 3: Regarding an October 9, 2024, robbery at Lopez Pharmacy on Ring Road, Belmopan, police arrested 25-year-old laborer Robert Andrew Tillet from the Cayo District and charged him with robbery. Cruz, Dawson, and 18-year-old call center agent Elijah Jonathan Cruz were additionally charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.
Report No. 4: In a June 15, 2024, robbery at Quality Poultry Products on Costa Rica Extension, Belmopan, Cruz and Dawson were both charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.
Report No. 5: For the July 12, 2024, robbery at Best Care Pharmacy on San Martin Road, Belmopan, Cruz was charged with robbery, while he and Dawson were jointly charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.
Report No. 6: In connection with the October 18, 2024, robbery at Belize Western Energy Limited (BWEL) on Forest Drive, Belmopan, Tillet was charged with robbery, while Cruz and Dawson were again jointly charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.
Report No. 7: Finally, for another incident at Country Meat Products Limited, Cruz and Tillet were charged with robbery, while Cruz and Dawson were once more charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.
On Friday, Police Commissioner Chester Williams told reporters that investigators had narrowed down on individuals believe were the orchestrators behind these robberies, and that a police officer was under investigation.
On Thursday, police detained a female officer along with her common-law husband. Williams added, “A search of the police officer home yesterday led to the discovery of a number of police uniforms from males and she is a woman that’s including number one and the BDUs again interestingly is that many of these robberies that were committed. Persons that committed them were wearing either police uniform or the BDUS and we have found clothing matching those at the police officer house and so we are putting together the file gathering all the evidence . We also found the vehicle that was used as a rental vehicle that was used by them in committing the robbery that took place I think three days ago in Belmopan. We also find a motorcycle that has also been seen on these robbery scenes and a number of other things so I believe that by now and Monday we should be filing charges against a number of persons.”
The body of a man was found this morning in Dangriga Town. Tyrone Miguel was found dead in a drain at around eight o’clock in the Arana Crescent area. Investigators do not suspect foul play. According to reports, Miguel fell into the drain and subsequently died.
Police have detained and charged four members of a Belmopan family in connection with the kidnapping and sexual assault of a twenty-three-year-old pregnant woman. The four were arraigned today in Belmopan Magistrates Court, where bail was denied, and they were remanded to Belize Central Prison until January 22, 2025. News Five’s Paul Lopez spoke with a relative of the victim, who shared that he came forward to shed light on the torment inflicted on her by the accused. Here’s more on that report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
A family of four accused of kidnapping, aggravated assault, wounding, and sexual assault is tonight behind bars at the Belize Central Prison. The victim, a twenty-three-year-old pregnant woman, remains hospitalized tonight. One of the alleged perpetrators is her husband, twenty-four-year-old Luis Tiul Jr. Their relationship began inside a church as a beautiful love story. This is according to the victim’s brother, Wilmer Cruz.
Wilmer Cruz
Wilmer Cruz, Brother of Victim
“They attend this church and deh the guh and guh and guh and I get invited one time and it was so beautiful and the people were so beautiful. One time I meet this family and the lee gial grow up and at the age of eighteen she meets this lee bally that is the pastor’s son and they decided to get married.”
And after marriage, the couple had a child.
Wilmer Cruz
“When they married they start to live together and all this while I don’t know about them like that because we are not into, I have my own to tend to. They had a kid together and now this turn out to be the case now, a surprising story, meanwhile all this while I though they were living happily and everything.”
The victim’s family believed that if there was any safe place for her, it would be in the home of a pastor since she is married to his son. But that trust was shattered on Wednesday when police conducted an operation at the pastor’s home, discovering the woman, seven months pregnant, severely injured, tied to a step, and forced to sit in her own waste. According to police, the husband’s family held her captive after she attempted to leave him. Videos obtained by News 5 show the victim in a hospital bed, lying down in excruciating pain.
Wilmer Cruz
“Back then I hear a lee thing that the lee gial mih want separate and thing like that right. But from then I never hear no more form that, but now surprisingly my mom call me and said son, you hear what happen with the lee gial, she the eena hospital. I said, what cant’ be. I run to the hospital and when I see the lee gial, she the eena wah terrible condition. I find her in a condition like when you torture somebody, kidnap somebody and find them in a room, like a movie scene. Her hands all burned, swell, her feet scarred like they were tied. The lee gial maga, and she is pregnant. First thing come into your mind dah guh murder somebody and that is wrong, because I put myself in trouble. That is why I want justice serve among these people, because I want them to know that she have family to.”
The alleged culprits are forty-five-year-old Luis Tiul Senoir, Tiul Junior, forty-three-year-old Elizabeth Tiul and fifty-nine-year-old Matilda Games, who were all arraigned this morning in Belmopan. The charges range from administering noxious matter to aggravated assault, wounding, sexual assault, and kidnapping. We asked the family for comments as they were escorted by police.
Paul Lopez
“You guys have anything to say, you guys have anything to say? Are the allegations true. Are you a true a pastor. Do you have anything to say sir? Are the allegations true?”
Neither of the two men responded to our questions. A man who identified himself as Tiul senior’s son attempted to stop us from asking more questions.
Paul Lopez
“Please I am doing a job, are the allegations true? Do you have anything to say? Sir, do you have anything to say? Is the allegations against your family true, would you like to clarify?”
And then this happened.
“Move dah Camera, front of my face, move dah camera, front of my face. Move dah camera front ah my face.”
Wilmer Cruz
“To my acknowledgement the family has the same mentality like the accused. All of them look like they have the same vibe and the same mentality, because that tribe is a nutsy tribe. You see how they gone atta you and the camera man suh deh, that means you have people that will have to be caregul of those people, because they don’t think, they just act.”
Paul Lopez
“One of the questions that people are asking is where is her family, is it a case where the family was not checking up on her because they thought she was ok and living a happy life?”
Wilmer Cruz
“My mom told me that she nuh know because she doesn’t keep up like that. She knows that she lives with them and she have she business and kids and everybody have their own. So, if you decide to live then you suppose to live in a condition and maybe she couldn’t get to my mom, because they had her kidnapped.”
Paul Lopez
“Is it regretful though and perhaps a lesson that as family we should check up a bit more on our loved ones?”
Wilmer Cruz
“Correct we should check up on our loved ones, but when we talk about they married, everybody should keep in their own process. But in this condition, this is a big thing concerned to every Belizean, check up on your kids, check up on your family, stuff like that.”
We alsoheard from the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, in Belmopan today, following the arraignment of the four accused. ComPol Williams told reporters that the department made a huge mistake when the photographs of the alleged perpetrators were released. He contends that public knowledge of their identities may lead to embarrassment and further victimisation of the woman.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I know police in Belmopan are looking at that matter carefully. If I, I saw that our press office issued the photograph of the arrestees. I would not have done that. That was ill advised. I have not spoken to Ms. Hortence about it, but by issuing photographs of those persons arrested, it then takes the public back to who the victim is. The heinousness in which the crime was perpetrated against her, I am sure it is going to bring shame against her. People who know her husband seeing his picture on the news would know exactly who the person is. I don’t think that in an instance like this we should expose her the way we did.”
Paul Lopez
“Is there an argument for police releasing those images so that the public is aware of who to be cautious of?”
Chester Williams
“No, that cannot justify it. Like I said I cannot blame my press office because I did not advise them about it. It was after I saw the photographs were released that it came to my mind I should have spoken to Ms. Hernandez about it. It was already released so I just left it as that. But, I would want to think that in the future we should guard against those things.”
And while the police were swift to deal with the family who are accused of assaulting and committing aggravating offences against the victim of the kidnapping in Belmopan, today the Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children, Rossana Briceño, also weighed in on gender-based violence against women. Briceño expressed her view that crime and violence, particularly against women, are on the increase because of a lax effort to strengthen the policies that deal with these crimes.
Rossana Briceño, Special Envoy, Development of Families & Children
“With all the stories that you’re hearing now, I get frustrated sometimes, and I personally feel, and this is my personal feeling here, that more can be done in terms of policy. We do have policies in place, but I think the implementation of the policies really need to take center stage now, and make sure that they are being implemented, and we need someone, someone to do the check and balance and evaluate if these things are really working because if they’re not working, we need to do better. And we have time. We can always do something, especially for women. Most of the time, it’s women that are the victims.”
A woman police officer and her common-law husband are currently being questioned by police in connection with a series of robberies in Belmopan. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams revealed that authorities are investigating at least seven reported incidents in the city. The investigation led officers to the woman’s residence, where evidence allegedly linked to the robberies was discovered. Here’s what the commissioner had to say about the case.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“As I said to you all yesterday in my interview, we were narrowing down on those persons who we believe are orchestrators of the spate of robberies we have seen in the Belmopan area. I said a police officer was also being looked at. We went after those persons. A woman police officer was detained and her common law husband. From the information we are gathering, the two of them are the masterminds behind the robberies and there are some other persons who are players with them who are also detained. A search of the police officer home led to the discovery of a number of police uniforms for male officers and she is a woman, that includes the number one and the B.D.U.’s. Interestingly, many of these robberies committed, persons committing them were wearing either police uniform or the B.D.U.’s and found clothing matching those at the police officer house. We are putting together the files, gathering all the evidence. We also found the vehicle used, a rental vehicle that was used by them in committing the robbery that took place three days ago in Belmopan. We also found the motorcycle that has been seen at these robbery scenes and a number of other things, so I believe that by now and Monday we should be filing charges against a number of persons.”
The recent surge in fatal road accidents, especially involving motorcycles, has become a pressing concern for Belizeans nationwide. Reports of deadly collisions have become almost weekly, drawing attention to road safety practices. While some incidents are attributed to motorcyclists, a significant number involve careless car drivers who contribute to these crashes. The Department of Transport is working to strengthen road safety legislation. However, with both motorcyclists and drivers responsible, the impact of new regulations may be limited unless they address all motorists. Chief Transport Officer Leon Gentle provided further details on the project.
Leon Gentle
Leon Gentle, Chief Transport Officer
“On the seventh of October, we myself and the project manager for the road safety two, has met with PAHO, who has pledged their support in identifying how we can move forward with improving the legislation, as well as providing some technical support for that element of it. As you all know, PAHO is most interested in that because it puts a strain on the health system. And all of that, there is that collaborated effort. We are seeking regional funding to be able to provide that level of support, both technically and legislatively as it relates to improving the legislation. We are at that level.”
Reporter
“Would you maybe concede that it’s a problem, larger problem in terms of enforcement as well?”
Leon Gentle
“That’s a part of the problem. And we have made efforts to see how we can make adjustments to that level of it. There is a collaborative effort with the police department as well as the municipal authorities to be able to sit together and discuss how we’re going to attack the dynamics of that element as it relates to vehicles and driving habits and how we’re moving forward. Quite recently we had a session with a consultant who, and I’ve mentioned this in several interviews already, looking at safe driving manuals and to see how we can introduce the concept of a graduated driver’s license. So there’s an educational element of it, there’s a legislative improvement element of it, as well as to see how we can look from an enforcement standpoint to see how we can increase enforcement in areas such as highways, in rural areas, in areas where there are the hot spots as it relates to those motorcycles accidents and accidents on a whole.”
In early 2023, the Ministry of Transport introduced new standards for public transportation, setting age limits for various bus services. Road service permits would require premier buses to be no older than ten years, economy buses capped at twenty years, and rural buses at twenty-five years. Operators were expected to upgrade fifty percent of their fleet by December 2023 and fully update their entire fleet by the end of 2024. While efforts have been made to comply, bus operators have encountered challenges in meeting the proposed timeline, as Chief Transport Officer Leon Gentle explains.
Leon Gentle
Leon Gentle, Chief Transport Officer
“We did do an inspection last week. We are formulating that report and that report would be what helps us to make that decision as the way forward.”
Reporter
“So there is a possibility that the deadline might be extended?”
Leone Gentle
“There might be a possibility that it might be extended.”
Reporter
“What was maybe some of the major points of contention then from the bus operators?”
Leon Gentle
“Primarily the financial aspect of it. As you all know, we are trying to get them to transition to an upgraded buses. And the issue with that is finance. And so we have been working with them to be able to see how we can move that forward for them.”
Reporter
“But have they been putting in the effort?”
Leon Gentle
“They have been putting in the effort? That is something that is notable you would see. And I can say that from a standpoint of the registration of new buses. And so there has been an increase of that throughout the past couple of months, and we’ve seen where they have made their efforts in making that a possibility.”
