Rape - Channel 5 Belize

Zero-Tolerance Policy on Sexual Violence Amid Allegations Against Union Leader

Earlier today, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) issued a statement addressing the allegations against the union leader. The organization emphasized its zero-tolerance policy for all forms of sexual violence, abuse, or misconduct. They stressed that these accusations are serious and require the utmost seriousness, empathy for both the alleged victim and the accused, and a strong commitment to justice. The NTUCB firmly supports due process and the principles of fair and impartial justice, stating that everyone is entitled to a fair investigation and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law. This evening, we also asked the President of the Public Service Union to share his thoughts on the allegations against his union colleague.

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“That matter continues under investigation and I don’t think that it would be proper for me to comment on it considering that the allegations are currently being looked into by, I’m quite sure, the union in question, as well as by the wider umbrella organization. But considering your question on the matter, I want to make it abundantly clear that the union movement, and I believe I speak on behalf of every true trade unionist, we do not condone any such acts or behavior. I think that where the PSU is concerned, we would be the first to condemn any act of violence, in any shape or form, against women. We don’t tolerate that. However, it is also important that we recognize that the justice system presumes all individuals innocent and they must be proven guilty and you cannot pronounce somebody to be guilty simply based on the allegations of another person. We need to listen to those allegations, do the investigative work and, as I am doing today, condemn such actions or acts by men, or women, against the opposite sex.”

Well-known Union Leader Faces Sexual Assault Allegations

Tonight, a prominent union leader and activist is facing allegations of sexual assault. The incident reportedly occurred six years ago, and the woman he allegedly raped has yet to receive justice, despite her efforts to have him arrested and charged. The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared her story with us, recounting how it all began with unwanted advances at work.

Voice of: Alleged Rape Victim

“I was raped by him on April thirteenth, 2019. It was like early hours of the morning. He did that because apparently he wanted a relationship with me. I kept refusing him, I kept telling him I wasn’t interested in him, but over a period of time he gained my trust. From early 2017, he was making these advances at me, trying to get me in a relationship with him. I didn’t know this guy, I had absolutely no interest in him whatsoever. So I kept telling him that I wasn’t interested in him and that I did not come here for that. I did not come here to hook up with people. Over a period of time, he kind of gain my trust and my respect a bit because I thought that he was fighting for some just some right. I remember I was working on April twelfth, 2019. I was working a three-to-eleven shift and I think sometime, either earlier, I think it was earlier that day but he was trying to get me to go out with him, as usual because he was always inviting me and trying to get me to go out with him and I never went and wasn’t interested. And I told him this, at some point I said, “I would just go and have a sit-down with you under one condition, that we will further discuss the union issues and work-related stuff, how you go about doing certain things and soh. So we agreed on that. I thought that we would go and drive around a bit, discuss these things and he would bring me back home. I had no plans of really going out because me and he noh di goh out. Yoh know, we noh have nothing and that interest isn’t there . Soh anyway, I seh okay. So he took me to this place up the road, Rustic Korner. And one of the first things I said to him when we were there. Soh I seh I hyah yoh have wahn woman. Ih seh yes, I seh that’s a no-no between me and you because I noh play with people man. And ah tell ahn, ah seh di same thing, like ah tell yoh, I just cohn da work cohn work. I noh fool rung, I noh deh wid nobody, di try hook up with nobody rung da compound cause I fraid fi sickness. I always di stress this and people weh know me, know that that something I always. I tell ahn look, I just wahn goh home after he di push to me fi get wid he and I di tell ahn I noh interested and I noh wahn get with yoh and ih noh wahn happen. That’s another thing I told him plain… Look ih noh wahn happen. So I told him, I just want to go home and so on the way from Rustic, between this, this happened on the roadside, you know, between Rustic and Haulover. Somewhere, like ten to fifteen minutes, he seh he wahn stop and tek a leak. Now, that normal, guys stop and seh dehn wahn tek a leak and I noh tek dat as nothing. Di quickness ah weh he haul up my dress, dreg down my tights and di pull, di try, yoh know, do weh ih do but he raped me. He forced himself on me and ah noh wahn give all di details but he raped me.”

Twenty Years, Five Months for Sex Offender

This morning in the High Court, Justice Nigel Pilgrim sentenced Jeffery Pott, a resident of Corozalito Village, to twenty years and five months in prison after convicting him of three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Pott, who previously lived in Belize City, was found guilty of having sex with a thirteen-year-old girl twice in 2021 and 2022, and again when she was fourteen. Justice Pilgrim explained that he considered both aggravating and mitigating factors in determining the sentence. He referenced Section 47-1-29 of the criminal code, which states that anyone who has sex with someone under sixteen, with or without consent, commits an offense punishable by a minimum of twelve years, up to life imprisonment. For those who have sex with someone between fourteen and sixteen, the punishment ranges from five to ten years. Additionally, Justice Pilgrim took into account the new sentencing guidelines of the Senior Courts of Belize, effective January 2025.

Man Convicted of Sexual Assault

Forty-nine-year-old security officer Ervin Middleton has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a thirteen-year-old girl and has been sent to the Belize Central Prison. High Court Judge Nigel Pilgrim will decide Middleton’s sentence after a mitigation plea on May sixteenth. Middleton was first accused of raping the girl in September 2020 when she was a standard six student. This morning, Middleton, who was out on bail, heard the verdict after the trial concluded in March. “Guilty of rape of a child,” announced Justice Nigel Pilgrim. Middleton appeared shocked by the verdict. The girl, now eighteen, testified in court that she was home alone when Middleton arrived. He asked for a cup of water, and after she gave it to him, he asked her to lie down with him. When she refused, he forced himself on her. Middleton denied the allegations, claiming the girl made up the story out of revenge because he ended his relationship with her mother after discovering they were related. The judge noted that the prosecution proved all the elements of rape. Middleton will be sentenced on May sixteenth.

Tourist Raped in San Pedro

A tourist has come forward with allegations that she was raped by one of the two people she was socializing with over the weekend. Commissioner Williams explained that the incident took place in San Pedro and that the woman might have trusted the accused due to his friendly demeanor. However, when the third person left for the night, the accused allegedly took advantage of the situation. According to Williams, the complainant has injuries that support her claim.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“A tourist reported to the police that she and other persons were socializing. They eventually went to a house or a hotel and they hung out there for a little while more. Thereafter, she left the hotel along with an individual to go and drive. And, during that time, the individual took her to a location where he had sexual intercourse with her against her will. Police have since investigated that matter and one individual was charged for the crime of rape against a tourist, and he’s expected to appear in court sometime today.

Reporter

These are interpersonal encounters and there’s very little you can do, but our police are looking closely at this case because the two persons were hanging out for a long period of time, and she said in the report that her brother had gone inside and then she continued circling with this individual. Is it clear at what point or on or what circumstances he crossed the line of consent with these tourists?

Chester Williams

Well, we do know that we have tourists who come to our country, many of them tend to feel comfortable and so relaxed with us because we are a very friendly people and our friendliness is captured by these stories and so that they trust us and it’s a situation where the tourist might have placed her trust in this individual and he took advantage of her. If a woman says no, then it is no. And a man must respect that. I was not there with them, but I don’t see a reason why the tourist would lie about him. Certainly he did something she did not consent to and so she reported to the police and we took the direct action that we should be taking and it is going to be a matter later for the judge and jury to decide his guilt Innocence.”

Police Investigating Rape Allegations Against Union Leader

Police are investigating allegations of rape made against a Belize City union leader. According to reports, a female coworker claims that she was sexually assaulted by the unionist back in 2019. Police recorded the statement of the alleged victim. We are told that the union leader was being questioned by Ladyville police on Wednesday night. No charges have been levied, and when we checked with the police department’s communication department, we were told that they have no knowledge of any such report.