Five People Charged for Cruelty to Animals After Viral Video  

A viral social media video showing several people brutally attacking a horse with a machete has sparked outrage. The public and animal rights activists quickly called for the arrest of those involved. Thankfully, the injured horse, named Oney, has been found and treated for his injuries. This afternoon, five people were formally arrested and charged with Cattle Theft, Cruelty to Animals, and Abetment to Commit Cruelty to Animals. Among them are twenty-year-old Raheem Herbert, nineteen-year-old Tyreek Straughn, and three minors, who were charged in the presence of their guardians. This shocking incident has led to calls for stricter animal cruelty laws. Recently, fifteen horses belonging to the tour guide Joshua Trapp were stolen from his ranch. While the police have recovered most of the horses, several were found in poor condition. Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams explained the charges that can be brought against those who commit animal cruelty and assured the public that these cases are taken very seriously.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

 “Nobody  said yesterday that the penalty was a hundred dollars. Mr. Lopez asked that question and an answer was given, but the public seems have taken it to mean that we were saying that the penalty for the offense is only a hundred dollars, but no, under the law, the offense of the offense of cruelty to animal carries a imprisonment term of six months. And there  is no provision there for a fine. Yes, we know that applying the legal principles that even though a fine is not there, the magistrate at trial if found guilty can still impose a fine or they can go at a custodial sentence depending on how they see the evidence and the different submissions that the different parties may make at that particular juncture. In addition to that, they’re also being charged with abatement to commit cruelty to animal. And under the law section twenty of the criminal code, it states that we are a person that abets to commit a crime if that person is found guilty and the crime, that the abate to commit actually occurred, then the penalty shall be just as if would be similar to the crime that they had abated to commit. So in this case, the abatement is going to carry another, um, six months imprisonment. And then we have cattle theft. Cattle theft is a more serious offense that carries the penalty up to. I think of the three, three to five years imprisonment.  is something that is really outrageous. It’s of shock, the public sense, and the public conscience. And, I think that we must give it great priority again, as has been said by the Humane Society and even the ordinary Belizeean and who witness what happened. They’re saying that we need to do something that is going to send a strong signal. We have many  animals out here that are  owned by people and we must always ensure that we care for these animals and we show empathy towards them”