Tour Guide Shamar Foster Sues B.P.D. Two Years Later

While the Commissioner of Police defends the actions of his godson, in the High Court this morning, attorney Leslie Mendez appeared on behalf of Shamar Foster.  He is the tour guide who was manhandled by a pair of policemen at the municipal airstrip in April 2022.  Viewers would recall that the officers approached the then nineteen-year-old and proceeded to search him.  While attempting to record the ordeal, the policemen got physical with Foster, hurling obscenities at him in the presence of other international visitors at the airstrip.  Through his lawyer, Foster is suing the Belize Police Department.

 

Leslie Mendez, Attorney-at-law

“This claim stems from an incident that happened at the Belize Municipal Airport, I believe about two years ago, and it involved an encounter between two police officers and Shamar, who is the claimant, that resulted in, at least what we say, that resulted in Shamar being searched and struck, hit on his arm whilst he was attempting to record the search of his person.  Following this incident, we also made a complaint before the Professional Standards Branch against the officers for the violations of the rights of Shamar Foster.  We were not able to really settle or get this issue addressed and so Shamar decided to file a constitutional claim for breaches of rights, for his constitutional rights, specifically the rights against arbitrary search, the right to freedom of expression and the right to protection of the law.  So those are the three rights that we say were breached in the context of both the incident at the airport, as well as disciplinary process.”