Man Retracts Guilty Plea After Breaking Down in Court

Tonight, a father who claims he was keeping a loaded gun for the protection of his family is on remand at the Belize Central Prison. He is forty-five-year-old Ernie Zelaya, who was charged with keeping an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Reports are that on Friday, July fifth, at around twelve thirty a.m., police were conducting mobile patrol on the Phillip Goldson Highway between Miles seven and eight in Ladyville Village when the officers encountered a taxi with no lights on the highway, belonging to Zelaya. The officers instructed the vehicle to pull over and upon search, they discovered a rusty, three-eighty pistol and three live rounds of ammunition, for which he failed to produce a license. Today, in court, Zelaya, who appeared unrepresented, initially pleaded guilty to the offenses, stating that he only kept the gun for the protection of his and his family’s life, which he claims is under threat by a gang member in his neighborhood. Court proceedings were put on pause after Zelaya broke down crying and his family members phoned to calm him. The sitting magistrate asked Zelaya if he understood the offenses he was pleading guilty to. Zelaya was informed that a fine would not be imposed and that he would be going to jail. After the break, Zelaya changed his guilty plea to not guilty. However, due to the nature of the offenses, no bail could be granted and Zelaya was remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until August twenty-fourth, 2024.