An operation was deployed in Chetumal after several violent incidents were recorded in the last few hours.
Given the growing insecurity in several areas of Quintana Roo, 200 members of the Army, Air Force, and National Guard arrived in the capital municipality of Othón Pompeyo Blanco in artillery vehicles, as well as an EC225 helicopter, to carry out operations with local authorities.
Among the most recent cases of violence are the execution of businessman Jonathan “N”, the murder of a minor, the execution of the head of the Secretariat of Citizen Security and former director of the Cancún Prison,Fermín Cortés Burgos, and the kidnapping of a captain of the Mexican Army, who was released hours later.
Cortés had previously received threats, allegedly for being linked to criminal groups. Cortés was shot as he drove on his motorcycle on Chetumal Avenue. He crashed into a vehicle. The gunmen alighted their car and shot Cortés more than twenty times.
Law enforcement officers are tasked with reinforcing law and order in the state.
The Belize City Council announced today the appointment of Alex Nolberto as the new Director of Finance, effective June 3, 2024. According to the Council, the appointment follows a “thorough selection process and official recommendation by the interview committee.”
The Council says, “Nolberto brings with him over twenty years of experience in leadership, banking, finance, risk management, revenue maximization, and comprehensive financial strategy development. His expertise in these areas, along with his dedication to structure and excellence, positions him as the ideal candidate to lead the finance team at the Belize City Council.”
Nolberto holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He is a Certified Professional in Anti-Money Laundering (CPAML) and a member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals. Heis also an affiliate of the Financial and International Business Association (FIBA).
On Tuesday night, we told you that thirty-three-year-old Kathleen Belisle was charged for dishonestly retaining a wrongful credit after almost fifty thousand dollars of the Belize Government Lottery was deposited into her bank account.
As we reported, an accountant at Nandos Wholesale LLP intended to transfer $50,000 to Lowes Supermarket, a sub-agent for the Belize Government Lottery. However, it was mistakenly transferred to Belisle’s account.
Today, Nandos issued a statement clarifying what happened. The company says that it mistakenly saved Belisle’s phone number as Lowes Supermarket’s. Before the transfer was made, the company’s accountant contacted the number regarding the funds that needed to be transferred. The company alleges that Belisle pretended to be the proprietor of Lowes. Nandos further alleges that Belisle informed the accountant that Lowes’ Bank account number had changed and provided her bank account number instead. Nandos says it only found out because the proprietor of Lowes reached out to say that they haven’t received the funds. According to the company, Belisle spent some of the funds.
In a decision dated April 19th, the General Legal Council found attorney Orson “OJ” Elrington of “grave professional misconduct” and in breach of rules 4, 14, and 22, which constitutes grave misconduct. Elrington is being summoned by the Council to a hearing on May 24th to show cause why any of the sanctions set out in the Legal Profession Act should not be imposed on him.
Under that particular section, the Council may recommend to the Chief Justice:
(a) the removal of the attorney’s name from the Roll;
(b) the removal of the attorney from practice on such conditions as the Council may determine;
(c) the imposition on the attorney of such fine as it may think proper;
(d) subjecting the attorney to a reprimand;
(e) the payment by any party of costs or of such sum as the Council may consider a reasonable contribution towards cost;
(f) the payment by the attorney of any such sum by way of restitution as the Council may consider reasonable.
News Five has reached out to Elrington for comment.
Pastor Dozie brought a complaint against Elrington, alleging that Elrington settled a claim without his consent. Dozie claimed he only signed one engagement letter, while Elrington asserted that two were signed, altering the terms of their agreement.
Dozie provided evidence of his position, including original documents and WhatsApp conversations. Elrington failed to produce original engagement letters despite multiple directives to do so. The Council found discrepancies in Elrington’s testimony and noted concerns regarding his reliance on a paralegal to handle client communication and legal matters.
Ultimately, the Council concluded that Elrington breached professional rules and referred the case to the police for further investigation into the authenticity of the disputed engagement letter. This finding highlighted the seriousness of Elrington’s actions and raised questions about his credibility and conduct as an attorney.
In 2023, Dozie retained Elrington as his attorney to file a claim against the Social Security Board which had denied Dozie’s application for survivor’s grant following the passing of his wife in 2021. SSB told Dozie the Social Security (Benefits) Regulations did not make provision for widowers to claim the survivor’s grant that is payable to a widow on the death of a husband. Elrington commenced action against the SSB and the Attorney General. A percentage of any sums recovered to be paid to Elrington was agreed. The percentage agreed is in dispute. “The dispute arises due to Mr Elrington’s assertion that there was a second engagement letter.”
Following negotiations, Elrington collected the settlement sum of $46,588. “He continues to possess that said sum, and has not paid any portion any portion thereof to Pastor Dozie.” (This is at the date of the decision)
In his defence, Elrington claimed that Dozie did not provide him with a bank account to transfer the money.
In December 2023, Dozie emailed Elrington, demanding all funds received from the SBB, including the initial retainer of $1,500. The sums were not paid to Dozie at the time of this decision. Dozie also confirmed that he did not provide Elrington with banking details.
Dozie says he did not approve the settlement terms. Elrington told the Council that he orally explained the settlement terms to Dozie in September 2023.
According to Dozie, he signed one engagement letter on May 17, 2023, where he agreed to pay Elrington a retainer fee of $3,000. It was also agreed that Elrington was tobe paid a contingency fee of 15% of the sums collected. Elrington says that Dozie signed a second “redrafted” retainer on the same day. According to Elrington, Dozie paid him $1,500 down and agreed to pay 40% of the sums collected. Dozie said that he paid Elrington $1,500 andthe remaining amount would be collected from any funds received. Elrington was unable to provide the Council with the original engagement letters with the wet ink signatures.
“A perusal of the documents by the members of the Council indicates that the scanned copy of the signature of Pastor Dozie on the second engagement letter (denied y Pastor Dozie) is blue, whilst the first one is black, and the signature on the second engagement letter appears to be identical in size and shape, including the points where the signature intersects the alphabetical letters at the bottom of the signature line, that spell out his name. Exactness in two signatures of the same person to such a degree are not usually found and tends more to the probability that the latter signature is a copy made by scanning or copying by machine.”
US citizen Joseph Camp, 39, has written to Belize’s Governor General Dame Froyla Tzalam, asking for a pardon. Earlier this month, Camp spread false news during a shooting incident in Belize City. He was arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court where he pleaded guilty and was fined six hundred Belize dollars.
In the letter to the GG, Camp says, “I am writing pursuant to Section 52 et seq of the Belize Constitution 1, to respectfully request a pardon for the offense of Spreading False News.”
According to Camp, the information he shared during his Facebook live video was provided by a Belize police detective. He says, “I acknowledge the gravity of the offense and have accepted full responsibility for my actions. However, I wish to provide further context to my case. The charge stemmed from information that was provided to me by a Belize Police Detective…”
According to Camp, “upon becoming aware that the information may not contain complete facts, I took immediate steps to rectify the situation by attempting to remove the content.” The content remains on his Facebook account.
Camp says he has also written an official letter to the United States State Department and U.S. Embassy in Belize. In that letter, he says that he was unlawfully detained.
Joseph Camp writes to U.S. authorities, claiming he was unlawfully detained.
Two young men were arrested and charged with two counts of possession of controlled drugs, kept prohibited firearm and kept ammunition without a gun license. They are nineteen-year-old Phillip Ku and nineteen-year-old Zaldon Thompson.
According to police, a search was conducted at Ku’s residence in Esperanza Village, Cayo. The police found 15 grammes of cannabis and seven pieces of crack cocaine. An improvised shotgun was also found, along with ammunition.
Belizean cyclist Kaya Cattouse successfully fought off would-be robbers in Jamaica. According to Pedal Sisters, Cattouse was cycling to meet a cycling group when two motorcyclists attempted to steal her phone.
“The pocket part of her Jersey was ripped. She fought them off, and they were unsuccessful in stealing her phone. She continued on the ride that day.”
Kaya Cattouse’s ripped jersey.
On a social media platform, Cattouse said “Bally actually pull up sida me while I di ride and shub eh hand eena MY pocket fu MY phone.”
“The Federation president Dr Wayne Palmer stepped in and she is now being escorted for the rest of her training/ vacation period for the upcoming Pan American Championship.”
Days before the incident, theJamaica Cycling Federation put out an advisory regarding attacks on cyclists. Cyclists are advised to ride in groups with an accompanying bike or vehicle. The Federation says that thieves are targeting phones.
Israel conducted a military strike inside Iran. This marks a potentially hazardous escalation in the rapidly evolving conflict across the Middle East. Iranian state media said that the country’s air defense systems were activated in Isfahan and Tabriz following three explosions near a major military airbase close to Isfahan.
Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Iran’s army commander-in-chief, attributed the explosions above Isfahan to anti-aircraft systems engaging a suspicious object, without causing damage. Other Iranian sources mentioned the interception of three drones by air defenses, with no reports of a missile strike.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed later that the US was not involved in any offensive operations but was focused on Israel’s defense and de-escalation efforts.
Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system launches to intercept missiles fired from Iran on Sunday. Tomer Neuberg / AP April 13, 2024
Tensions in the Middle East have remained high since Iran’s unprecedented direct strike against Israel on Saturday, which saw Iran launch over 300 drones and cruise missiles towards Israel in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic complex in Damascus earlier in April.
The Western allies of Israel have voiced support for Israel while also calling for restraint in the wake of Iran’s attack on Saturday.
A flyer making its rounds on social media has caught the attention of Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams. The party invites people to an “adult” party with an entrance fee of $1,500.
This morning, Williams said, “What is being advertised here is tantamount to prostitution, which is still illegal in our law books.”
Williams encourages all potential attendees “not to participate in this illegal and moral act.” He says that the department will be doing “all we can to find out where this event will be held and to hold those responsible accountable.”
When this newsroom contacted the number on the flyer, the person who answered said she had no idea about the flyer and inquired where the flyer was posted. She sounded distraught that her number was being used.
Three alleged members of the notorious gang PIV were arrested and remanded to jail after being found in possession of a gun, ammunition, and significant quantities of marijuana and cocaine on Saint George’s Caye. The accused, including alleged PIV co-leader Edwin Flowers, were brought before a Senior Magistrate and faced multiple charges, including firearm possession and drug-related offenses. Despite pleading not guilty, they were denied bail due to the seriousness of the charges.
Full details on News 5 Live tonight at six o’clock.
