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 Corozal district experienced high volumes of rainfall from Tropical Storm Nadine, which led to localised flooding. As a result, several roadways were declared impassable. Also, the Rio Hondo River reached flood stage, compounding the situation. We spoke with Tennielle Hendy, the Chief Hydrologist, about what residents in the north experienced.
Tennielle Hendy
Tennielle Hendy, Chief Hydrologist, NHS
“The flooding associated with the Rio Hondo, the Rio Hondo is not a fast-flowing system, so the time it would take for flood waters to recede might be a bit longer than the ones that have a higher slope. The Rio Hondo doesn’t have that high of a slope that it runs off very quickly. A couple roads are inaccessible in the north. The San Roman Road is impassable. The Yo Creek San Lazaro Road was impassable. There are other areas that would have experienced urban flooding which is just caused by the rainfall where they would be seeing flooding in that area, but it should runoff at a normal pace for them.”
Residents of More Tomorrow in Cayo were left confused and concerned when they woke up this morning and found dozens of old tyres along the village road. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing has confirmed that the tyres will be used to upgrade the road due to its susceptibility to flooding. A few weeks ago, complaints were made by the school in the area in terms of access to the village and school. Periodic maintenance was done.
Chief Engineer Evondale Moody told News 5, “What we were trying is an engineering technology called mechanical concrete whereby you utilise old tyres to construct a formation, basically. And you would utilise that in areas where you have areas that are susceptible to flooding or you have major consolidation. And so the old tyres are basically set up in a grid formation, similar to what we call a geogrid, which you would have to import. However, utilising the old tyres is beneficial to us because it also prevents erosion from happening. And it also acts as a confinement for the aggregate we’re placing on the road.”
It is believed that this technology is environmentally friendly.
He added, “So the idea is that you place these tyres in a grid formation and we infill these tyres with aggregate. And then compact over. And so we have done that today for approximately about 500 meters. We intend to try and complete at least 1.6 kilometres, which is about a mile. And we want to do that by the end of this week as a pilot project. So that’s the reason why we have those tyres on the More Tomorrow road.”
Moody says he spoke with the Chief Environmental Officer. No major environmental concerns were expressed. The ministry maintains over 3,000 miles of road countrywide.
The World Sustainable Travel and Hospitality Awards took place in Belize on Saturday night. It celebrated top global sustainability efforts in tourism and honoured leaders dedicated to net-positive practices.
The event coincided with World Tourism Day.
21 winners across various segments of sustainable travel, from community projects to international hotel brands, were recognised.
Green Initiative, known for its restoration efforts in Costa Rica, Peru, and Brazil, was named ‘World’s Leading Sustainable Organisation,’ while Soneva won ‘World’s Leading Sustainable Energy Efficiency Initiative’ for its environmental work in the Maldives.
Mandarin Oriental secured three awards, including ‘World’s Leading Sustainable Development,’ ‘World’s Leading Sustainable Employer,’ and ‘World’s Leading Sustainable Supply Chain Programme.’ Other notable winners included Rainforest Expeditions, which earned ‘World’s Leading Sustainable Conservation & Biodiversity Programme’ for discovering 30 new species in the Peruvian Amazon, and ibis RockCorps, recognised for ‘World’s Leading Sustainable Partnership’ due to its volunteer-driven initiatives in France.
In individual awards, Agnes Pierce, Global Head of Sustainability at Amadeus, was named ‘World’s Leading Sustainability Leader,’ and Andy De Silva, CEO of Hotel Emporium, received the ‘World’s Leading Sustainability Leader of Tomorrow’ title.
Belize was honoured as the ‘World’s Leading Sustainable Destination,’ reflecting its commitment to responsible tourism. Local initiatives like Che’il Mayan Chocolate and the Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association were recognised for their contributions to cultural heritage and marine conservation.
Justin Cooke, Executive Vice-President of the awards, noted: “The winners exemplify the innovation and positive impact driving the travel industry towards a sustainable future.”
Belize’s Minister of Tourism & Diaspora Relations, Anthony Mahler, echoed this sentiment, saying the awards reflect Belize’s dedication to sustainability.
A motorcycle accident on Sunday night left a police officer dead. The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Police Constable Nikki Waight from Belmopan City. 23-year-old Jessica Abigail Escobar was injured.
The crash happened on the wooden bridge connecting San Ignacio and Santa Elena. Investigations revealed that Jessica Escobar was riding a black Lifan motorcycle from San Ignacio to Santa Elena, while Waight was on a blue Lifan 200 motorcycle travelling in the opposite direction. Upon reaching the wooden bridge that connects San Ignacio and Santa Elena, Waight’s motorcycle reportedly slipped off the edge of the wooden boards, causing him to lose control and crash. Escobar was unable to stop in time and collided with the officer’s motorcycle. She was injured on her left arm.
Waight succumbed to his injuries. Escobar was taken to the San Ignacio Community Hospital for treatment.
The Second International Conference on Traditional Healing kicked off in the Cayo District today. It brought together traditional healers, complementary medicine practitioners, and medical doctors for a three-day event. The forum serves as a platform to showcase the richness of ancestral healing practices while engaging in discussions on preserving these traditions for future generations.
Hugo Carillo, Director of U Chan Muul Yaax K’aax, highlighted the importance of bridging the gap between traditional healers and modern medical professionals. “We have traditional healers, who are the keepers, and we have medical doctors and nurses. We have to see both sides,” Carillo explained. He added that there are rich traditional beliefs of the Yucatec Maya culture and shared the importance of passing this knowledge down to younger generations, especially in the face of challenges like climate change and deforestation.
The conference is supported by the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH). Rolando Cocom, Director of the Institute for Social and Cultural Research (ISCR), stressed the importance of collaboration between traditional and certified medical practitioners. “It is an important conversation because, as we know, most Belizeans in some way or another at some point in their life. The Belizean people would have used herbs, for instance, to treat an ailment or to treat a disease,” Cocom said. He advocated for a partnership between formal healthcare systems and traditional practices, seeing them as complementary.
General physician Danny Yacob also weighed in on the balance between traditional and modern medicine, saying, “We don’t only focus on the scientific and the medical part. We always try to include the herbal part of it. Because medicine as a whole is a holistic approach. It’s an approach centred not just on medication, but you also have to teach the patients what they have to eat.”
The event features a range of topics, including at-home healing methods, healthy dieting practices, and herbal approaches to mental health. Dr. Maria Lucia Goncalves, a committee member, emphasised that traditional teachings must be researched and integrated into modern medicine. “Everybody has a traditional medication home. You have the abuelita, the grandmother, grandfather, and natural healers who tell the neighbours who give you some medication. Sometimes we take a different approach,” she explained.
Eighteen-year-old Shamar Smith of Belize City has been charged with shooting the Roaring Creek Police Station in the Cayo District on June 23, 2024. Smith faces charges of “aggravated assault,” “damage to property,” and “mischievous act.”
The shooting occurred when a gunman in a white hoodie opened fire at the station around 12:30 a.m. A police officer was standing in front of the building at the time of the attack. No one was injured, though investigators recovered eighteen expended shells from the scene.
Would you pay more for a property if such a request is made after you have already received the title? The Belmopan City Council is pleading with individuals who purchased a parcel of land in Innovabel Estate at a discounted price under former Mayor Sharon Palacio to visit the council and pay the balance. Those titles were issued before the former mayor demitted office. An investigation conducted by the current council revealed that while the properties were valued at twenty thousand dollars, some individuals paid as little as a hundred dollars and received their titles, while others paid two thousand dollars. The investigation also revealed that former city councilors were in the mix and that some individuals received as much as eight parcels of land at a discounted rate. While no names were mentioned, Mayor Pablo Cawich spoke with reporters today as the council is pleading with these titleholders to visit the office and work out a payment plan to defray the balance, even though they are not legally obligated to. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the story.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
On March eighth, 2024, two days after the municipal elections, former Belmopan Mayor Sharon Palacio held a ceremony where she distributed titles for parcels of land in Innovabel Estate. This would be her swan song before demitting office.
File: Mar 8,2024
Sharon Palacio
Sharon Palacio, Former Mayor, Belmopan
“I must say it was quite a journey to be where we are today and the families are overjoyed to receive their titles. We have many more who are receiving. We have thirty plus more who have paid over fifty percent, and we have some who have just finished paying everything.”
In her interview, she said that the new titleholders paid over fifty percent while others paid in full. The former mayor, however, did not reveal how much they paid. Seven months later, her successor, Mayor Pablo Cawich, says that most of these titleholders paid well below the value of the lands. A release from the Belmopan City Council notes that while the Innovabel parcels were valued at close to twenty thousand dollars each, in some cases titleholders only paid two thousand dollars.
Pablo Cawich
Pablo Cawich, Mayor, Belmopan
“Reviewing the accounts we started looking at the valuation of some of those lands in the Innovabel area and some of the payments that have been received and we had noticed that, and the two thousand is just an example, there were different percentages of discount to different people.”
Just an example, according to Mayor Cawich, as he confirmed that some of the lots sold for as low as one hundred dollars. He also confirmed that a former councilor received as many as eight parcels of land.
Reporter
“And relatives of the former mayor, the were also getting some of these land deals?”
Pablo Cawich
“Most of them was just one, but there are people who did receive a few. There are people who received different ranges. For example, one of the relatives I think that person got around sixteen, eight not sixteen. The entire Innovabel project when it came to the entire land distribution and sales had approximately just under two million dollars lose in revenue.”
Mayor Cawich clarified that many of the properties sold in Innovabel Estate were sold at true value, but at least one hundred were sold at these grossly discounted rates. The council is now working to recoup those losses.
Pablo Cawich
“The stance that we have taken with every single recipient is that we are not attempting to take away anyone’s opportunity. If for example you have received eight parcels all we are asking you to do is to create a payment plan to ensure you are paying the full value of the land.”
We spoke off camera with one titleholder who paid two thousand dollars to receive his title for a parcel of land in the Innovabel Estate. He is a former city council employee who was given his walking papers last Friday because he failed to respond to a letter from the city administrator requesting that he pay an additional seventeen thousand dollars. Similar letters were sent out to every individual that received the discount. In this specific case, the individual is also being accused of facilitating the transactions.
Voice of: Former City Council Employee
Voice of: Former City Council Employee
“As far as their letter written to me, it indicated that the land, which Ms. Palacio sold to me was valued at two thousand dollars. I mean come on, which other minister and other people have not assisted their friends in obtaining a piece of land for far cheaper than that. For us poor people, if it is not for help or intervention, we would never be able to own a piece of land. According to them the transfer paper indicated that it was at a thousand dollars plus. Now was I wrong that I did not read through the paper, maybe. But at this time I trust what the council is doing. I was only asked to sign. I was given the paper. It was folded. I was given and instructed to take it to lands, which I did and a few months later I obtained my tittle. That gives me the right to that parcel. As far as I know, all transactions were done. As far as I know, all transactions were done and the council had no more issues with me and no reason to receive that document and bear in mind I received a receipt of zero balance, meaning that I owe nothing to the council.”
Pablo Cawich
“In a case where some of the employees who had received grossly discounted lands, what we explained to them is that you knowingly and willingly participated in a program that cost a loss of revenue to the council. Loss of assets to any company or organization is a serious offense. We asked these individuals to please justify your participation and explain why we should still have trust in you. Most of them responded except two.”
A second city council employee was also terminated on similar grounds the very same day. Mayor Cawich concedes that none of the titleholders are legally obligated to make any further payments. He says however that he is pleading to their sense of morals and ethics.
Pablo Cawich
“It is a reality that we are aware of, but as mentioned we are hoping that as good citizens and as good Belizeans their ethics and morals will drive them to ensure that they do pay the true value of the lands.”
The Professional Standards Branch is investigating a police constable and a corporal from the Benque Viejo Police Station. The two officers allegedly misappropriated one thousand dollars from the Belize Police Department. ComPol Williams told reporters what the investigation has revealed so far.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“There was some situation where a lady was supposed to be hired to cook for some summer camp that the police had. And, the lady was charging, I think, one thousand dollars to do the cooking. That was agreed upon and then two days before the date of the cooking, the police officers told the lady that she would not be needed to cook anymore but the money will still be sent to her. And they told her that once the money is sent to her, she must transfer the money to their account. The money did came to the lady’s account and on the instruction of the police, the money was sent to one of the police officers account. So that matter is with PSB and PSB will deal with that matter adequately.”
The Professional Standards Branch has launched an investigation into the death of twenty-six-year-old Belmopan resident Daniel Caal. He died at the Western Regional Hospital after being held in police custody for four days. An autopsy report revealed that he died from respiratory complications. Well, ComPol Williams says that several administrative breaches have been identified, including the fact that Caal did not have to remain in the holding cell for more than a few hours.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“ We can see with certainty that there may be no criminal culpability on the part of the police. But as the investigation is unfolding, we are seeing where some of our administration, administrative measures were breached. And so those police officers who caused the breach of our administrative measures will have to answer administratively. One such thing is that Mr. Caal need not to have been in police custody beyond the Friday. He could have gone to court. Why keep him in custody longer than it was necessary to do so? So, whoever was responsible for ensuring he had gone to court a Friday will have to answer why that did not occur. But if what the family is saying that they had visited the station to see him, and the police did not allow them to see him, the police can be wrong and they can be right. We do have visitation hours at the station. We can’t have a system where people walk in anytime wanting to see a prisoner. So, we have to look to see if that was during visitation hours. But if the family would have come and say, I’d like to see my loved one because we know he suffered from XYZ and is caught every so often, which then triggers something that might have the police, let’s make a check on him. So, we have to look at what exactly was said to the police by the family members when they alleged that they visited the station.”
Reporter
“Was there any explanation for the gash on the head?”
Chester Williams
“I believe that it was caused from a seizure and when he fell, the bar in the cell block may have hit his head.”
