A jury of nine has found Belmopan business man Brian August guilty of causing death by careless conduct. August was charged in connection with an accident in March 2019 that claimed the life of twenty-eight-year-old Vladamir Aguilar. It was alleged that August was driving a Chevy Silverado when he attempted to overtake a bus and collided head on into Aguilar’s motorcycle in the vicinity of Scotland Halfmoon. Aguilar was flung from his bike and he succumbed to his injuries. Almost five years later, August’s fate has been decided. After three hours of deliberation, the jury of nine unanimously reached a guilty verdict. The jury heard addresses from the prosecution and the defense. During his address this morning, prosecutor, Riis Cattouse, asked the jurors to pay keen attention to the elements that the crown must prove against August to substantiate the charge. Cattouse emphasized that August is on trial before the court for causing death by careless conduct. He told the jury that there are several elements that the crown must prove including, that someone died; that the death was caused by unlawful harm; that it was August who caused the death, that August was careless in his driving, and that he was going more than twenty five miles per hour. The law states that when driving in villages, drivers must be within twenty-five miles per hour. In his defense, August admits to knocking down Aguilar but claimed that it was not because he was careless, but because Aguilar was riding his cycle without any lights. Justice Candace Nanton has set sentencing for a later date.
Category: Crime
Dangriga Man Murdered While Socializing
One man is dead following a shooting in Dangriga. Thirty-three-year-old Delroy Menzies relocated from Belize City to Dangriga five years ago. In October, he moved into the area where he was killed, along with his partner. On Thursday night, Menzies, his partner and a close friend of his were at Kulcha Kitchen on Plum Street. That is where they spent most evenings socializing. But, on Thursday night the unexpected happened. A gunman walked up to Menzies outside the business establishment and shot him in cold blood. Tonight, family and friends of the deceased are reeling from the loss, as they try to put together the pieces. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Thirty-two-year-old Delroy Menzies, a father of one, lost his life to gunshot injuries he sustained on Thursday night while socializing. Menzies, his partner and the owner of Kulcha Kitchen were sitting down outside the establishment, as they do daily, when a gunman approached them. He opened fire and an injured Menzies fell to the ground.
Voice of: Friend of the Deceased
“I was outside and Delly and my cousin which is his girlfriend and someone came to order a food and I get up go inside to get the food and as I reach inside I hear three gunshot and when I came outside, my cousin mih the bawl and I noticed that Delly get shot. So I called nine one one, I called the police.”
We spoke with Menzies’ cousin off camera. She told us the family is still without a clear picture of what transpired on Thursday night outside Kulcha Kitchen.
Voice of: Cousin of Deceased
“We try to put the pieces together because nobody gets the true picture as yet.
Somebody call and tell we what happened so up to now the police still nuh she nothing, suh we just have to go by what the police the do. It is very hard and it hurt very bad because it puts pain in everybody heart, not lonely his mother but everybody who loves and respects him and the community itself.”
Voice of: Friend of Deceased
“Yes I mih the yah and a vehicle just pass and she hold your gial tight and that is it. I ask dah who and he said he doesn’t know who it is. I don’t know who it is, so we don’t know.”
Paul Lopez
“When you heard that and heard remarks coming from that vehicle that didn’t raise any suspicions from you at the time?”
“No because we nuh the think nothing. We just sit down and continue talk. We nuh the think nothing, he nuh the think nothing, cause he she he nuh know dah who. So we nuh the think nothing like that.”
During our interview with Menzies’ friend, a police mobile drove by with two men in the pan of the vehicle. News Five confirmed that the men are persons of interest in Menzies’ murder.
“The body was on the ground for like two hours and change and the police didn’t want anybody to take him to the hospital and everybody the ask take the man to hospital. Deh she deh cant touch the body, nobody could take ah dah hospital. We deh ask well, if yo lef wah person fuh dead, if dah unu, you mih wah want deh ker yo dah hospital right?”
Reporting for News 5, I am Paul Lopez
Missing Corozal Man’s Vehicle Allegedly Turns Up in Burrell Boom
Fifty-seven-year-old Rosalito Pacheco, a taxi driver from Corozal Town, mysteriously disappeared in early February. Today, a family of three, a mother and her two sons, was dragged before the Belize City Magistrates Court to be arraigned for handling stolen goods. Police allegedly discovered Pacheco’s vehicle and keys at the home of forty-four-year-old Tricia Young, a resident of the Fresh Pond area in Burrell Boom Village. Young and her two sons, eighteen-year-old Imari Young and twenty-two-year-old Christopher Young, have been jointly charged with the crime of handling stolen goods. The trio appeared before a Senior Magistrate with attorney Richard “Dickie” Bradley. At their arraignment, they pleaded not guilty to the charge. Their attorney then asked the Senior Magistrate to take record of his clients’ time of detention and when they were brought to court. Bradley contended that the time exceeded forty-eight hours and violated the rights of his clients. Imari and Devin Young also told the court that they were badly beaten by police officers while in custody. The brothers allege that plastic bags were placed over their heads during interrogation and that they were beaten with a two-by-four piece of wood. The court took note of these allegations and with no objection to bail, the trio was granted bail in the sum of two thousand dollars each, plus one surety of the same amount. The court also demanded that they report once a week, on Fridays, to the Burrell Boom Police Station. We heard from their attorney outside the courtroom.
Richard “Dickie” Bradley, Attorney
“The disturbing thing is that in the case of the two sons, you heard them individually explain to the senior magistrate the ordeal that they suffered in the case of the second accused, I won’t call his name, he was badly beaten at the police station in Burrell Boom, where in addition to, as he said, wapped several times in a two by four and a plastic bag being put over his head while handcuffed to try to get some air and he was punched and kicked and the younger brother who is only eighteen also suffered some beating at the hands of the police to end up with a charge that they were handling a stolen vehicle which was not found in their yard. It is a serious matter for the police in the sense that the vehicle is said to be owned by a person who has gone missing. So we can understand that they are trying to breakthrough with an investigation but that is no excuse for what we heard in court this morning that the commissioner of police and the minister responsible for the police who are in government for three years need to have some written guidelines and public know. And don’t tell us to make a report at Raccoon Street, noting ever comes out of that. We need an independent investigative arm that deals with police officers who behave like criminals. That is uncalled for to try and suffocate someone to get information which they didn’t end up getting anything for.”
Mexican Car Theft Duo Handed Three Years in Prison
A pair of Mexican nationals will spend the next three years behind bars at the Belize Central Prison after pleading guilty to the charge of theft and abetment to theft of two rental vehicles. Back in July 2023, a 2020 white four-door Kia Sorento and a 2021 white four-door Equinox, each valued at sixty thousand dollars, belonging to Budget Auto-Rental Car were stolen. The duo is comprised of Alejandro Gonzalez, who is charged with theft and Carlos Morales, who is charged with abetment to theft. They were arraigned on October 2023 and appeared today before Justice Nigel Pilgrim who stated that if the men had been tried and convicted before a jury at the High Court, then the penalty would be the same, which is no less than ten years. However, Pilgrim began the penalty at six years and after revisiting the case made before the crown and its proven elements, Pilgrim noted that the duo cost the company more than two hundred thousand dollars in losses and inflicted psychological damage as well. As a result, the starting penalty was raised to eight years. Pilgrim proceeded to deduct three years due to the pair showing signs of remorse and an additional year and eight months was deducted for their guilty pleas, leaving both with a three-year, four-month sentence for each car to be run concurrently. Pilgrim also ordered Vasquez to pay a sum of forty-six thousand, five hundred dollars with depreciation for the loss of the Equinox, while Morales was ordered to pay the sum of forty-seven thousand, seven hundred seventy for the Kia Sorento.
Brandon Gillett Appears in Court Following Gun Charges
Thirty-eight-year-old Brandon Gillett was back in court on Wednesday after being granted bail in the sum of ten thousand dollars for five firearm offenses he was charged with back in December 2023. The court bailiff, accompanied by attorney Orson Elrington, appeared before the Chief Magistrate where a date for full disclosure has been set for February twenty-eighth. On December twenty-second, three days before Christmas, Gillett showed up in court unrepresented and charges were read to him after police visited his home in Los Lagos to execute a search warrant for unlicensed firearms. They found two weapons, including a nine millimeter Glock pistol and a .223 Springfield Armory Rifle with several attachments for which he didn’t have written authorization from the Commissioner of Police. The search followed an incident that was recorded and shared on social media during which Gillett brandished the rifle in front of a group of churchgoers attending a funeral service here in Belize City. He was subsequently arrested and charged, remanded to custody for seven days, before being released on bail.
Incidentally, the Firearms and Ammunition Control Board announced earlier today that it will be conducting an audit and placing a moratorium on firearm licenses for .223 rifles. The release states, (quote), this decision comes as part of the board’s commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability, and the responsible management of firearms and ammunition in Belize. In addition to the audit, the Firearms and Ammunition Control Board has also decided to impose a moratorium on the processing of firearm licenses for .223 caliber rifles pending a review. This decision aims to ensure that the issuance of such licenses is done in a manner consistent and in the best interest of public safety, (end quote).
Man Almost Loses Life Over Mechanic Tools
A Belize City man is wanted for aggravated assault after allegedly pulling a gun during an altercation. Thirty-three-year-old James Nunez told police that he was on his property when four individuals exited a black Isuzu Rodeo and began threatening him. Nunez says one of the persons attempted to steal some car parts from him and left some tools behind. That individual returned to retrieve the tools and reportedly punched Nunez in the face several times. Nunez told police that he pulled out a knife to defend himself. That is when his attacker allegedly pulled out a gun and pointed it at him. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told us more.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“The report is that the victim was saying he was in front of his home sitting on a bucket and he was approached by two persons or three in a black rodeo. One, Randy August alighted the vehicle and approached him and inquired about some tool that he may have left at the victim’s garage while he was trying to steal some parts from some vehicle. So he came back for the tools. He and the victim had an exchange during which the victim took out a knife to defend himself and Randy told the girl that was with him to get the gun out of the vehicle. The gun was retrieved and the victim eventually ran and made a call to the police. Police responded and the Rodeo was intercepted. But Randy August and another person had escaped. I am not sure if he has been caught by police but certainly if and when he is caught it is a matter for the police to look at for aggravated assault.”
An Alleged Impersonator Says She is A Victim
Last night, we told you about the San Pedro resident who was arrested and charged for the crime of obtaining property by deception, after allegedly impersonating Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde on Facebook to scam unsuspecting users out of money. Well, that woman, thirty-seven-year-old Ada Toro says that she is innocent and that she is actually a victim herself. In a report elsewhere in the media, Toro says that she, too, genuinely believed the person behind the Facebook page to be Minister Hyde. So, when money was reportedly deposited to her account with instructions to withdraw those funds and deposit it into another account, she believed she was working for the minister. Today, reporters asked the Commissioner of Police for his take on her claims.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I don’t know much in terms of the intricacies of the investigation. That will be something within the knowledge of the investigators. I am sure there must be sufficient evidence for the investigators to have been able to draw down on her and arrested her. And let me say this, there are a number of scams going on social media and I think these scams are easy to detect if you apply common sense. I think some people might just see certain deals on social media and it might have moved them so much that they fail to do necessary due diligence that would have led them to know it is not genuine. I just want to say to people to be careful before you make any deposit to people who are offering you things online. There are several things you can do to verify that those persons are not authentic and then look for example the issue with the ghost vehicle. I don’t know who would buy a vehicle and not see the vehicle and for the person to tell you later on I done got the vehicle you need to send more money, you wah send more money and nuh see the vehicle yet. You must apply commonsense and you will find out some of these things there are not really true. In this case I believe the lady’s banking information was what was used. I don’t see who would use your banking information knowing that the money is not coming to you it is going to someone else. So that I find very strange. I am not saying that what she is saying is not true. But why would I enter into a scam, give your banking information, the money will not come to me it will go to you, it makes no sense.”
ACC Issues Statement on Slain Student
Anglican Cathedral College, the school where fifteen-year-old Lamisha Moody was enrolled, issued a statement on her murder. The school said, “Last night, we received devastating news that Lamisha Moody, a cherished member of our A.C.C. family, was taken from us by senseless gun violence.” The school says that Lamisha was more than a student. “She was a bright light cherished by her peers and loved by her teachers.” The school said, “Gun violence has no place in our society, and Lamisha’s passing reminds us of the urgent need for action.”
The school’s counselling team and spiritual leaders will support students through this time of grief.
Lamisha along with street figure thirty-six-year-old Troy Hyde were shot and killed last night in the Jane Usher Boulevard area.
Still No Word from DPP On Rape Investigation
In mid-January, we reported on the criminal charges that one prominent Belize City attorney was likely to face in connection with a rape investigation. Well, six weeks later and those files are still with the Director of Public Prosecution. Charges are yet to be levied and there is no telling if the reports made by the two female victims will lead to an arrest. When reporters asked ComPol Williams for an update today, he said the D.P.P. has been busy.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“The DPP is a very meticulous person. I must say she is an extremely good attorney and an exceptional advocate. She is the type who wants to make sure that when she draws bows there is sufficient and so I know that she has met with the investigators and gave them certain instructions to carry out and she is looking at the file very carefully. I know she was extremely occupied with the Oscar Selgado matter. That now awaits a decision from the trial judge. Just give her some time. I personally went through the file and it is complex. It is not a straight forward case. So she needs to make sure she has her ducks in row before making any decision where that matter is concerned.”
Belize City Man and Teenage Student Murdered in Old Capital
Belize City police are investigating a double murder that occurred last night near a basketball court in the Jane Usher Boulevard. The victims have been identified as thirty-six-year-old Troy Hyde and fifteen-year-old Lamisha Moody. The shooting happened at around 8:40 p.m. when a silver vehicle stopped nearby and one of the gunmen inside opened fire. Hyde and Moody were rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where they died minutes later.
Hyde is a known street figure in the area. Moody was a student at Anglican Cathedral College.