A man who claims to be homeless is tonight on remand at the Belize Central Prison after being arraigned for attempted murder. According to police, on Saturday at around nine p.m., they visited the K.H.M.H. where they observed thirty-one-year-old Juan Pineda suffering from multiple stab wounds. An initial investigation revealed that Pineda was walking his dog in the Lords Ridge Cemetery when he was attacked by a man known to him as thirty-six-year-old Mark Stevens. Pineda said he made attempts to evade Stevens by running home, but Stevens ran towards him and stabbed him several times in his body with a shiny wooden-handle kitchen knife. According to Pineda, his landlord tried to stop Stevens from harming him. Stevens then ran into the Lord Ridge Cemetery and escaped into the night. Police detained Stevens the following day. He appeared before a magistrate today for the offenses of attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and dangerous harm. No plea was taken. Stevens told the court that he served time in United Kingdom after he went to live there at the age of eight. He says that he returned to Belize at the age of thirty and began living on the streets because he was being attacked by his family members. The magistrate questioned Stevens about an injury seen on his left index finger. Stevens claimed that he was taken to the hospital by the police, but they never gave him any medico legal form. The magistrate ordered that Stevens be taken to the K.H.M.H. to seek medical attention for his wound before he is taken up to the Belize Central Prison. He is to return to court on September ninth.
Category: Crime
Mynor Galindo says Police and Media are Wrong
Mynor Galindo, the brother of David Galindo, a prominent gang figure, who was fatally shot recently, says that the Belize Police Department and the media are spreading misinformation.
It is reported that following David’s shooting, he was rushed to the San Ignacio Community Hospital for emergency care. It is also reported that several of David’s gang affiliates arrived at the hospital, threatening doctors and nurses there. They reportedly told the doctors that David needed to be saved or else they would be murdered.
On Monday, Police Commissioner Chester Williams told reporters he was appalled at what happened.
“I am appalled by it, I must say. I got a call the following morning from a doctor, the head doctor at the Western Regional Hospital and right away I put him on to Ms. Anderson who is the Western Regional Commander and the matter was addressed. The police went to the area, statements were recorded, photographs were taken, the scene was processed and police have gathered video footage as well. So we know exactly who the persons are that are responsible. From then to now, we have not been able to locate those persons. One of the persons of concern is, I think, Minor Galindo, he’s one of them. Since then, he has not been seen in the San Ignacio area. We understand that he had fled somewhere. The fact that his brother had passed away, we believe that that might bring him out of his hole and once he is found then he will be dealt with along with another person who were the two main aggressors at the hospital. But again, we condemn the actions done at the hospital.”
In response to what Williams said and what the media reported, Mynor said in a statement, “No one has been arrested or charged for my brother’s death. Instead, the police are relentlessly pursuing us rather than the actual culprits. Despite providing detailed descriptions of the attackers and their vehicles to the authorities, there has been no discernible progress in the investigation. The authorities have utterly neglected their duty to ensure our safety and have instead harassed our family, baselessly accusing us of involvement in criminal activities.”
“We have received no support or justice from the authorities, and the media has perpetuated false narratives, The true perpetrators remain at large while we are wrongfully targeted. We demand a thorough and impartial investigation into the attacks on our lives and my brother’s murder. Additionally, we call for the media and the Police to rectify their false reports falsely labeling me and my family as part of a gang, despite no actual affiliation and accurately represent our situation. It is imperative that justice prevails and that the true perpetrators are brought to account.”
Minor says he is determined to correct misinformation spread by the police and media about their family. He says that two weeks ago, he survived an assassination attempt near his home, during which he disarmed a gunman and escaped unharmed despite another gunman firing at him. According to Mynorm, a week later, David, was fatally shot in a drive-by attack involving the same vehicle. He says that this information was shared with police.
This morning, ComPol Williams says he will be meeting with officials from the San Ignacio Community Hospital this afternoon.
Child Abuser Sentenced to Jail
The man charged with cruelty to a child was this morning slapped with two 12-month sentences, which are to run concurrently. In May, thirty-three-year-old Devain Flores was charged with two counts of cruelty to a child. He pleaded guilty to the charges.
The charges came after a video showing him kicking and hitting a three-year-old male child went viral on social media.
The case was prosecuted by the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams.
Earlier this month, Flores appeared in the magistrate’s court for a mitigation plea. He waived his right to call character witnesses after his mother, common-law wife, brother, and another individual failed to appear. Despite being given more time to bring his witnesses, Flores asked the Senior Magistrate to proceed with sentencing, stating he is taking full responsibility for his actions.
Despicable! Policeman Accused of Raping Woman in Detention
Tonight, a police officer is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after being accused of raping a female detainee at the Queen Street Police Station on Friday. It’s a shameful act reportedly carried out by forty-five-year-old Derwin Marin. The police constable was on duty, but had no business interacting with the woman. At some point, P.C. Marin allegedly approached her and offered to release her without charge in exchange for sex. He then proceeded to remove the woman from the holding cell and escorted her to another area of the station where he apparently had intercourse with her. In the wake of the incident, the Belize Police Department wasted no time in taking action against the rogue officer. Criminal and internal investigations are underway and the Commissioner of Police has condemned Marin’s actions. This morning, ComPol Williams appeared before the lower courts during Marin’s arraignment where he objected to bail. It is the second time within a few weeks that the top cop has donned his attorney’s cap to prosecute a matter.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Basically I appeared in court this morning to do the arraignment for the police officer who is charged with the crime of rape which took place at the Queen Street Police Station over the weekend.”
Reporter
“You objected to bail.”
Chester Williams
“Yes, I came to object to bail because we believe that the act is such that the police officer needs to remain in prison until the matter is heard.”
Reporter
“Now, this is a fairly mundane, straightforward prosecution. Why did you feel I important to bring your office to bear on it?”
Chester Williams
“Well I guess it’s the need to show the importance of the case. Like I said before, we have been doing our best to ensure that we rid ourselves of those rogue officers who constantly do things that embarrass the department. My presence here is a strong statement that we are doing what we can to ensure that persons who are aggrieved by the actions of police that they get justice. The person who is the victim was a prisoner in police custody. The investigation revealed that the police officer solicited sex from her in exchange for her release. He subsequently took her outside of her cell block where the act took place. We have secure several statements, as well as video footages that support her allegation.”
Reporter
“Was he aware of the security cameras?”
Chester Williams
“Well he has to be aware of it, every police officer who works at that cellblock area knows that cameras are there.”
Reporter
“Yeah, but did he go to a concealed area or an area outside of view?”
Chester Williams
“Well the cameras would not have captured the act itself, but the camera did pick up when he took her out of the cell and took her to the area where the alleged rape took place.”
Was P.C. Marin Allowed to Interact with Female Detainee?
P.C. Marin was not authorized to interact with female detainees, so what was he doing that would have brought him into contact with the woman? According to the Commissioner of Police, the victim was in custody along with another woman. Marin’s sole responsibility, as cellblock keeper, was to make sure that the prisoners were attended to while in detention.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“He was just the cellblock keeper, his duty there was just to ensure that the prisoners are okay. If they needed water or anything of that sort, he provided for them, but when it comes to dealing with female prisoners, if any female prisoner needed to have been taken out of the cell, that should not have been his responsibility. That should have been done by a woman police officer. So his action in removing her from the cellblock was wrong and more so, the said that she told him she wanted a cigarette. He even went and got a cigarette for her, and the reason, according to him why she was taken from the cellblock, was to go and smoke a cigarette which, again, is utterly wrong. So we have seen a number of breakdowns in terms of our internal policies that will be addressed likewise. There was another female prisoner in the cellblock and yes, she saw what took place and she did have some concerns and whenever the shift changed and the other officers came on, she was the one who reported first to the police.”
Reporter
“How hard was it to get the victim to make a complaint? We know that maybe she is someone who has been in the cellblock before, you know, she may be intimidated by the situation.”
Chester Williams
“It was not difficult, she was forthcoming and we are very much appreciative of that and this is what we want, that whenever we do have these allegations that people can feel free to come forward so that we can address it. Oftentimes, we hear people say police this and police that, but they are never willing to come forward and give statements. To see that she was brave enough to do so, we are grateful.”
Chester Williams
“When it comes to cases involving police officers, we have to take it very seriously. We are the custodians of the law and when we have people in our care, we must ensure that we do what we can so as not to breach that trust and confidence. The actions of P.C. Marin are such that it is an egregious act of breach of trust and confidence and we must do as best as we can to demonstrate to the public that while this had occurred, that we will do our best to ensure that the officer is held to account for what he did.”
A statement issued by the Belize Police Department reads, quote, the ongoing internal investigation aims to determine whether there was any lapse in supervision or neglect of duty that may have allowed this egregious act to occur. The B.P.D. is dedicated to transparency and accountability, ensuring that justice is served and public trust is maintained, end quote.
Police Struggle to Break Up Fight that Ends with Stabbing
A Belize City resident was stabbed on Friday night and was also the victim of a vicious beat down at the hands and feet of his attacker. It happened at the intersections of Neal’s Pen Road and Central American Boulevard and despite initial attempts by three police officers who responded to the incident, they were unable to subdue the assailant. The man was able to free himself from the arresting officers and attack his victim, repeatedly kicking and punching him before other officers were called onto the scene. Fortunately, the victim survived the violent attack and is recovering. The question that lingers, nonetheless, is whether the responding officers could have handled the situation differently. According to ComPol Williams, the police exercised great restraint, but he would have went about it differently had he been faced with that situation.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“The incident, I must say, is one that really and truly, I don’t know what to say per se, but I saw a situation where the police officers were doing as best as they can to detain an individual who had stabbed another. And as much as the police officers were trying to apprehend that individual, he was consistently resisting and trying to go after that person that he had stabbed. Obviously, his intent was to kill because even though the person was lying on the ground he was stomping the person in the head and the police officers again, while some may criticize them and say that they did not perform their duties the way that they should, I’m not going to go to that extent because sometimes, no matter the training you have, when you confront a situation you tend to forget that training and you just do what you believe can be done in that instance. But if it were me, from the mere fact that the individual had stabbed that person, the person is on the ground and he’s constantly going after that person to try and finish off that person, I would have shot him. Again, the police officers who were there had weapons but they exercised great restraint and I must applaud them for that, even though I would have acted differently. I still endorse their actions in terms of exercising great restraint.”
Who Killed Alfredo Rodriguez at Port?
Investigators are stumped and unable to make an arrest in the murder of Alfredo Enrique Rodriguez David. On Thursday evening, sometime around five p.m., police were called to an area near the Port of Belize where they discovered the body of the construction worker with a gunshot injury. The forty-two-year-old was fishing at the waterfront when he came under deadly gunfire by an unknown assailant. According to ComPol Williams, they have been unable to make any progress in the case.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“At this time, no. We don’t have any tangible leads in respect to that matter. I know the police are busy in the area trying to gather as much as they can, but so far they have not been able to unearth anything that could lead them in a particular direction.”
Reporter
“By all accounts, he seemed to have been a law abiding citizen. Do police believe that this may just have been a senseless killing.”
Chester Williams
“Perhaps, and from all indication it would seem as if he was in the area fishing when he was targeted. So we are hoping that we will be able to get something that can give us some leads in respect of that matter.”
ComPol Chester Williams: “I would have shot him.”
One man remains hospitalised following a stabbing incident that occurred on Friday night on Central American Boulevard in Belize City.
The incident was the result of an altercation between two men, thirty-seven-year-old Jermaine Grant and forty-two-year-old Windel Anthony. Grant received cuts near the left eye and abrasions to the head.
The incident was caught on camera. The public criticised the police officers who were at the scene for failing to properly control the situation.
When asked about it today, Police Commissioner Chester Williams told reporters that he would not say that the officers did not perform their duties the way they should.
“Sometimes, no matter the training you have, when you confront a situation, you tend to forget that training and you just do what you believe can be done in that instance.”
Williams says he would have shot the man.
“If it were me, from the mere fact that the individual had stabbed the person, the person is on the ground, and he is constantly going after the person and trying to finish off that person, I would have shot him.”
The police officers at the scene had weapons. Williams applauded them for exceeding great restraint.
Police Looking for Person(s) Who Called in Bomb Threat at School
This morning, Queen Square Primary and Wesley Upper schools in Belize City were evacuated due to a bomb threat at Wesley Upper School. The schools, located across from each other on Dolphin Street, were quickly cleared by law enforcement, and the all-clear was given within thirty minutes. Parents and guardians were notified to pick up their children.
A parent from Queen Square Primary shared, “I received a text about a bomb threat and came immediately to get my child.” A guardian from Wesley Upper mentioned, “I initially thought it was a false alarm but came to ensure my brother’s safety.” Despite varying levels of concern among parents and guardians, the swift response ensured all students were safe.
Fisherman Murdered While Fishing in Port Loyola
A man was murdered in Belize City on Thursday evening. He has been identified as Alfredo Enrique Rodriquez David. According to Police, a couple that went fishing discovered David’s lifeless body face down at the edge of the seaside in an area near the Port of Belize. When the police arrived at the scene, they discovered a bicycle, a bucket with some fish inside and a brown school bag, all on the edge of the seashore. About one hundred yards away from the items, through a mangrove trail, police discovered David’s lifeless body with multiple gunshot injuries. Several expended shells were retrieved from the scene. We spoke to a relative of David. Here is what she told us that the family last saw him around eight-thirty on Thursday morning.
Voice of: Shantel Serrano, Relative of Deceased
“His wife was already concerned form after eleven, because he told his wife he was going to be returning home before lunch. But to her knowledge, or what she though, was that when he was having a good day he would stay out and continue having a good day. So she was saying her husband is probably catching a lot fish. He is being successful so he is trying to finish the day. She became concerned a little after six when it got dark and he did not return. When she was talking to me, because I came home from work around after four. She was talking to me and she was concerned about him not return. So I told her relax she must have gone to visit someone or whatever the case may be. But she was very fidgety, up and down, could not sit down and I was wondering why. She was really worried so I told her just relax, if a certain time come she will reach. We saw Love News posted they found a body and the description was exactly the way he left home. As she saw that she came running up the stairs to tell me. When I went and saw the post, I don’t know how I skipped that, I was just looking at the details so I didn’t realize that until when we came to the police station and that is what they told us and we were like what, shot? My thing was when they found the body I thought because of the sting he got maybe he caught cramp, maybe he drown. But when we realize it is a police case then we wondered why and that is when we found out it was a shot. Why, why when Louis was someone if Louis doesn’t know you he would pass and speak to you. Louis speaks very English very few, he speaks mostly Spanish. He is a Honduran he doesn’t mingle a lot and he is a life of the party when it comes to cultural. Drumming’s he was there, but he is not a person that had a problem with anybody. Louis has been in Belize for many years, and you could ask the police they have never had to pick up Louis for no reason.”