Last night, following a Regimental Dinner held at Price Barracks in Ladyville, Belize Defence Force (BDF) Captain was injured in a road accident within the camp. According to reports, the Captain, allegedly under the influence, fell asleep on an active road inside the base. A Major, unaware of the Captain’s presence, accidentally ran over him.
News 5 contacted the BDF’s Chief of State, Major Roberta Usher, for comment. She told us, “Last night, an unfortunate incident took place at Price Barracks in which one of our officers was injured by a vehicle. On-scene medical care was administered immediately, and the officer was subsequently transported to the hospital, where he is now in stable condition. The incident is under active investigation, and additional details will be provided as they become available.”
This morning, Rossana Briceño, the Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children, spoke on gender-based violence. Briceño said that while policies exist, “the implementation of the policies really needs to take centre stage now.” Briceño stressed the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of these policies, saying, “If they’re not working, we need to do better.”
She concluded with a call to action, noting that “most of the time, it’s women that are the victims.”
The question was asked in light of the recent case involving a family accused of holding a 23-year-old woman hostage for 8 days. The 23-year-old was reportedly assaulted and sexually harassed by her father-in-law, deprived of food, and left in her own excrement with no access to a shower.
The Belize Defence Force (B.D.F.) has intensified an investigation into bribery allegations involving its soldiers stationed along the Belize-Guatemala border. This probe was sparked by a recent News Five investigative report revealing claims that soldiers stationed at the Machakilha Conservation Post (CP) have been accepting bribes from Guatemalan nationals. The alleged bribes, reported to range from cash to canned food and even chicken, are said to encourage B.D.F. soldiers to ignore illegal Guatemalan logging operations within Belizean territory.
These allegations, if substantiated, would not only call into question the discipline within the ranks but also highlight broader issues surrounding the support and resources provided to B.D.F. troops tasked with securing Belize’s remote border areas. Sources indicate that some Guatemalan loggers have allegedly been bribing B.D.F. soldiers for over five years, suggesting that the problem may be deeply rooted and systemic.
B.D.F. Chief of Staff Major Roberta Usher confirmed that the investigation extends beyond Machakilha to include all CPs along the border. Major Usher said, “When we receive allegations and accusations of things like that, yes, we check all our CPs as to what is occurring because we need to know what is occurring along the border. Not just necessarily one conservation, one observation post, but all of them because the integrity of the force is then questioned.”
She acknowledged, however, that while the “possibility exists,” the B.D.F. is committed to ensuring that bribery is not pervasive throughout its ranks.
They Should Have Not Been Released
In our recent investigation, it was revealed that on September 7, Belize Defence Force (B.D.F.) troops apprehended Guatemalan loggers operating illegally in the Columbia River Forest Reserve. Shortly after, the patrol found themselves surrounded by more than ten Guatemalans, reportedly armed, who demanded the release of their compatriots. With communication to Fairweather Camp severed, the patrol commander decided to release the detainees to prevent the situation from escalating.
Following public concern, B.D.F. Chief of Staff Major Roberta Usher provided an update on the findings of the investigation into the incident, which concluded last week. According to Major Usher, the investigation confirmed that B.D.F. troops were indeed encircled by Guatemalans, though she noted, “Hostility did not escalate as we had previously discussed. The Guatemalans encircled the conservation post to understand why the detainees were held, and the commander on the ground deemed it appropriate to release them to avoid potential escalation.”
When asked whether the surrounding Guatemalans were armed, Major Usher clarified that “the conclusion of the investigation does not align with claims of shots being fired.”
Pressed on whether the commander’s decision to release the detainees was in line with standard protocol, Usher did not disclose operational details but affirmed that the B.D.F. follows specific escalation protocols and that commanders are authorised to make decisions based on on-the-ground assessments. She explained, “The commander on the ground took the measure he saw fit for this situation,” though she emphasised that standard procedure typically involves police detainment, adding that no police were present at the time of the incident. She added, “They were not to be released.”
B.D.F. Lacks Real-Time Tracking for Border Patrols Despite Claims
Reports of B.D.F. soldiers allegedly accepting small bribes like chicken from Guatemalan loggers have intensified public scrutiny on the conditions faced by border patrols and the level of support given to Belize’s Defence Force. Amidst this scrutiny, Prime Minister John Briceño told News 5 that technological upgrades, including tracking systems, are being implemented to monitor soldiers’ movements and keep them on Belizean soil during patrols. He stated, “We’re using the tracking system so that we know where they are at all times.”
However, after these remarks were publicised, sources within the B.D.F. indicated that no real-time tracking technology is currently in place, suggesting the Prime Minister may have misspoken. In a follow-up, News Five asked B.D.F. Chief of Staff Major Roberta Usher for clarification on the matter.
Major Usher responded, “We are looking into the ventures of technologies… we have the capability of communicating with our soldiers. We have the ability to communicate with our soldiers or look into other technological ventures to see how we can best remain in communication and track our soldiers on the borders. Yes.”
Egypt joins over a hundred other nations officially certified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as malaria-free, a significant achievement for the country of over 100 million people. This milestone, announced on October 20, comes after nearly a century of dedicated efforts by the Egyptian government to eradicate the disease.
“Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilisation itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history and not its future,” stated Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. Evidence of the disease had been found in mummies that date as far back as 4000 B.C.E. Early control measures began in the 1920s.
Egypt becomes the third country in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to achieve malaria-free status, following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco. Overall, 44 countries and one territory have reached this goal globally.
“Receiving the malaria elimination certificate today is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new phase,” said Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt.
Just over a year ago, after more than 70 years of efforts to eradicate the disease, Belize was also officially certified malaria-free by the WHO. Belize was recognised as the fourth country in the Americas and the second in Central America free of the disease.
In a world where many work traditional jobs or run businesses, some individuals find their livelihoods in an unexpected place: the garbage. Known as scavengers, they sift through waste to collect recyclables and other discarded items, choosing this path over a life of crime.
Patricia Robateau, a scavenger at the Belize Waste Control transfer station, explained to News 5, “We gather aluminium, copper, bronze, plastic, Bowen & Bowen pints, tin.” She and her fellow scavengers sell these materials to recycling shops, earning a living from what others throw away.
The mayor of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, Earl Trapp, says discarded items are valuable to trash scavengers, “You could see people walking out with many fans many times… People have used this place to send children to school.”
For many families, scavenging has become a means of survival.
“It’s an honest way of making a living… When you have a permanent job, you don’t even have time for yourself,” said Robateau. Her colleague, Robert McKoy, shares a similar sentiment: “Every day I fill my belly and I stay out of crime.”
“We find silver, gold, we find many things,” said Sidney Forbes, another scavenger.
However, Robateau explained that scavenging comes with health risks. The nature of this practice involves sifting through garbage, which can contain hazardous materials and bacteria. To protect themselves, scavengers often wear masks, gloves, and boots. Despite the unsanitary conditions, they are motivated by the potential to find valuable items that have been accidentally discarded.
A 23-year-old woman who was allegedly kidnapped, held hostage, and tortured by her in-laws in Belmopan remains hospitalised at Western Regional Hospital. Footage obtained by News 5 shows her lying in a hospital bed, visibly in pain and struggling to move. She is seen with injuries to her hands and feet.
The accused family members have been remanded to prison and appeared in court today in Belmopan. During the arraignment, they pleaded not guilty to multiple charges. The family includes 45-year-old Guatemalan pastor Luis Alfredo Tiul Sr. and 59-year-old Matilda Games, both facing charges of administering a noxious substance. Luis Alfredo Tiul Jr., 24, is charged with aggravated assault and wounding, while his father also faces charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault, wounding, and sexual assault. Additionally, Elizabeth Tiul, 43, a Mexican national, is charged with kidnapping, wounding, and aggravated assault.
According to authorities, the pastor allegedly held his daughter-in-law captive for eight days in their home on John Saldivar Boulevard. Reports indicate she had tried to escape a troubled marriage and sought refuge with her family before returning to her husband’s home, where the abuse allegedly occurred. She was reportedly assaulted, deprived of food, and left in unsanitary conditions without access to basic necessities.
A family of four accused of holding a 23-year-old woman hostage appeared in court in Belmopan City this morning. During their arraignment, the family pleaded not guilty to multiple charges. Belmopan authorities formally arrested the family yesterday.
The family includes 45-year-old Luis Alfredo Tiul Sr., a Guatemalan pastor, and 59-year-old Matilda Games, who are both charged with Administering Noxious Matter.
Luis Alfredo Tiul Jr., 24, faces charges of Aggravated Assault and Wounding. His father, Tiul Sr., is also charged with Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Wounding, and Sexual Assault. Elizabeth Tiul, 43, a Mexican housewife, is charged with Kidnapping, Wounding, and Aggravated Assault.
The pastor is accused of holding his daughter-in-law captive for eight days in their residence on John Saldivar Boulevard, Belmopan. Authorities revealed that she had attempted to escape her troubled marriage and sought refuge with her family, but returned to her husband’s home. The 23-year old was reportedly assaulted and sexually harassed by the pastor, deprived of food, and left in her own excrement with no access to a shower.
A San Pedro mother is facing child neglect charges after her daughters, ages 4 and 6, were found wandering unsupervised along an unnamed street on October 22 in San Pedro Town. Priscilla Cal, 31, pleaded not guilty on Thursday and was released on $1,000 bail. Police reported that when they found Cal, she had a strong smell of alcohol and was resting in a vegetable shop while her children were unattended.
A neighbour alerted authorities after spotting the girls without any adult supervision.
Cal appeared in court seemingly unrepresented, where she was formally charged with neglect. As part of her bail conditions, she must report to the San Pedro Police Station every Friday starting November 1, 2024, and is prohibited from contacting her children or witnesses in the case. The girls are now in the care of Human Services.
A 28-year-old pregnant woman from Belize City appeared in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on Thursday for charges of possessing a crack pipe. During the hearing, Reeva Jones reportedly looked visibly uncomfortable and in pain, leading Magistrate Lois Barrow to check on her condition.
Jones, who is expecting her fourth child, expressed that she had been in constant pain since her detention on October 23. She stated, “I don’t want to keep the baby though. I want to put him up for adoption so he get a better life.” The arraignment was expedited due to her condition, as the court was concerned she might go into labor.
Jones pleaded guilty. She was fined $100 and given until next year February 6 to pay, or face two weeks in prison.
Jones reported that the police refused to grant her bail, despite her imminent due date, stating, “From the looks of things, I could go into labour today.”
Tonight, the Belmopan community is shocked following a disturbing report of a kidnapping allegedly committed by a pastor and his family. The trio allegedly held a 23-year-old woman captive inside their home for eight harrowing days. The victim? None other than the pastor’s own daughter-in-law. According to reports, the young woman had tried to escape her troubled marriage, seeking refuge with her family. However, she returned to her husband’s home, and that’s when the nightmare began. Her father-in-law, a trusted religious leader, is accused of tying her up and keeping her bound inside the house, turning the place of worship into a house of horrors. News Five’s Paul Lopez travelled to the Capital City today, speaking to shocked residents as the investigation into this disturbing case continues.
Paul Lopez
Paul Lopez
“We are standing in front of a home on John Saldivar Boulevard in the City of Belmopan where a pastor and his wife and son allegedly held a woman captive, for eight days, against her will. Behind me is the structure where the pastor and his wife lived. Next to the structure is the church where they congregated. Behind these two structures stands a home where the woman and the pastor’s son reportedly lived.”
Behind these closed doors are pews and an altar fit for a pastor and a congregation. But according to neighbours, people outside the pastor’s immediate family rarely ever attended the church.
Voice of: Neighbor #1
Voice of: Neighbor #1
“He is not a pastor. It could show in his face he is not a pastor. He is a bad neighbor, he is a bad, bad neighbor.”
Paul Lopez
“Tell me what makes you say he is a bad neighbor.”
Voice of: Neighbor #1
“When we have animals you use to like kill the animals. He mih bad with the animals. Poor little animals.”
Paul Lopez
“There is a church over there, have you ever attended the church?”
Neighbor #2
“No, the last time I visit them was like a year ago. But I don’t visit them because like I say, they don’t push themselves with neighbors. They only separate.”
Paul Lopez
“Do you see anybody attend this church?”
Voice of: Neighbor #2
Voice of: Neighbor #2
“Sometimes I see the got visitors but all the time, only them.”
By all accounts, the pastor, his wife, and their sons were the only true members of this church. There isn’t a sign to indicate a name or a denomination. But inside the pastor’s home, next door from the church he was hiding a secret. Investigators say he was holding his son’s partner captive. A twenty-three-year-old woman tied to a step inside the house for eight days. And this woman was no stranger. She was his daughter-in-law.
Paul Lopez
“The young lady, did you see her around anytime?
Voice of: Neighbor #2
“No, long time I nuh see that young lady. I mih think they gawn or separate. I don’t know. Long time I nuh see ah.”
Paul Lopez
“Did you ever hear anything suspicious in your neighbor’s property?”
Voice of: Neighbor #1
“No sir.”
Paul Lopez
“Was it surprising to you?”
Voice of: Neighbor #1
“Yes, everybody was surprised, my grandpa, my ma, they surprised. How could they do that to a poor lee gial and she mih pregnant.”
When police discovered her inside the pastor’s home, injuries were found on her hands and feet. She reported to the police that she was physically and sexually abused while tied up and held against her will. Reports are that she was left to lie in her faeces without being properly fed. The woman’s ordeal began on October fifteenth when she attempted to leave her partner. However, she had to return to the property because her parents were not home when she went there to seek refuge.
Voice of: Neighbor #1
“I nuh hear nothing because they use to like do big noise. I don’t know but they use to like play a lot of music.”
Voice of: Neighbor #2
“I just hear because they have big band and they put the band and we hear the music way yah. They play music every time but I don’t know what is happening there. But like how you see the house lock up right there it use to lock up all the time. You could only see they are at home because of the vehicle outside. They don’t open the doors for nothing. Like how you see it is right now, all the time it is like that.”
Police have detained the pastor, his wife, and their son. Authorities are yet to release their identities. Reporting for News 5, I am Paul Lopez.
