Owner of Thelma’s Kitchen Escapes Prison on Gun, Drugs Charge

Sixty-one-year-old Telesfora Arana, better known as Miss Thelma, is famous across Belize City for her delicious Belizean dishes. But today, she narrowly avoided a prison sentence after being arrested and charged with firearm and drug offenses. Miss Thelma and her common-law husband, fifty-year-old Curtis Rhaburn, were charged with keeping an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, as well as possession of marijuana found at their home on the corner of Kraal and Caesar Ridge Road. The bust happened around 8:40 PM on Tuesday night. In court, Rhaburn admitted to borrowing the loaded weapon because he’s a farmer and expressed regret for his poor decision. This morning, the couple was escorted to the Belize City Magistrate’s Court. Rhaburn pleaded guilty, while Ms. Thelma pleaded not guilty. Rhaburn’s character witness, Brenton Lopez, a Customs Examiner, spoke highly of him, describing him as a hardworking family man and a decent person. Their attorney, Orson Elrington, urged the court to consider Rhaburn’s remorse, his guilty plea, and the fact that this was his first offense. However, the Magistrate emphasized the seriousness of the offense and couldn’t impose a non-custodial sentence. Rhaburn was fined $1,200 for possessing over 100 grams of marijuana, which he must pay by March or face an additional four months in prison. A verbal appeal has already been filed on Rhaburn’s behalf, and Elrington hopes he can be released on bail while awaiting the appeal hearing. Elrington spoke with News Five following the court proceedings.

 

Orson “OJ” Elrington, Attorney- at- Law

“ The magistrate, after – there were two accused, Ms. Thelma and her common law, Mr. Rhayburn, Mr. Rhyburn has conceded and accepted that  the items found were his items,  and so  he pleaded guilty, um,  as a result, Ms. Thelma was freed of all charges against her, however, the court, in considering its sentence,made the decision that it could not fall within the provision of the law when it comes to firearms and ammunition So the firearm and ammunition  act says that once you’re convicted of it that it carries a mandatory custodial sentence So when there’s a provisional that  if it is that you do not have a previous offense conviction that you  can  Get a non-custodial sentence Our position was and is that, um, the previous offense did not fall underneath the firearm up, and therefore, he does not have a previous conviction. However, the magistrate in coming to his decision ruled that he believes that the, any conviction, and therefore he did not have the discretion to give him a non-custodial sentence. But the magistrate did in making his considerations and mitigating factors reduce what he thought to be the mandatory five-year sentence to reduce it all the way down to one.”