Stacy Smith

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“In collaboration with Women’s Month, which occurs in the month of March every year, the Belize Police Department will be hosting its first of a kind all female law enforcement march. And we have extended invitation to our sisters in law enforcement, the Belize Coast Guard and the Belize Defense Force and they are expected to make representation along with us. The march will start off at approximately nine o’ clock a.m. on second March. We leave from in front of the House of Culture and we proceed up Regent Street and onto Albert Street. This March will feature some over six hundred and fifty police officers, Coast Guard and BDF combined, and it is held under the theme of “Uniting Women in Law Enforcement for a Safer Belize”. So we would like to take this opportunity to encourage everyone, those of you who are able to come down in the area, schools in particular, to bring out the students and witness history in the making as we celebrate women in law enforcement.”

And as organizers finalize preparations, they say this all‑female march will showcase the strength and unity of women in uniform as they make history together.

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

Watch the full newscast here:

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               Richard Rosado

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police

“I think it is a misstatement for the media to say they have been invited for the past few years. The media has never been invited for the CompStat meeting. They are invited after the meeting to ask questions, but they have never been invited to the CompStat meeting. This is the first time we invited the press office to join us through the opening session. But to say that the media has been invited for the past few years it is a misstatement from the media.”

Reporter

“But that is semantics, why were we not invited to ask questions?”

Dr. Richard Rosado

“This year we wanted to try something and we wanted to see whether we should invite or should not and then I left it up to our press office and we decided to. But I have no objections to continue inviting the media for questions. I have no objections to that.”

Reporter

“But should a decision like that be left loosely? This is an important aspect for public transparency that we are there to ask the questions.”

Dr. Richard Rosado

“Like I said, this year we wanted to try something new, and for the media to say they have been invited for years, it is a misstatement, it is being disingenuous because they have never been invited to the CompStat meeting. They have been invited after the meeting to ask questions. And I have no objection or no reservation in inviting them after the meeting to ask questions.”

Reporter

“So will we be invited next year?”

Dr. Richard Rosado

“No objections.”

The post ComPol Rosado Explains Media Exclusion from CompStat first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police

“All I will say is that as a department we take the policy compliance seriously and the policy implementation seriously and in terms of that individual we have forwarded to the AG ministry for his advice and we are awaiting that advice.”

Paul Lopez

“How much do you rely on previous cases?”

Dr. Richard Rosado

“Like I mentioned we are forwarded it to the AG Ministry for his advice and we are awaiting his advice.”

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                                    Oscar Mira

Oscar Mira, Minister of Home Affairs

“ I do not know. That was my first compstat that I was invited as well by the commissioner of police. I didn’t know that they were not invited. I will ask the commissioner police why? I think it’s important that the media is invited and that they can go to the statistics that we have compiled for the year.”

Reporter

“This was the first time in years that the media hasn’t been invited. So you’re saying as a minister you weren’t aware that we were not given the invitation to come?”

Oscar Mira

“It was also my first time that I have been invited. As I have been at that ministry for past probably two months. So I was also invited and I went there. If I had known the media was not invited, I would’ve been the one to make sure that the Commissioner of Police invites you. “

Reporter

“So how do you feel about the numbers?”

Oscar Mira

“As the police department unfairly so is always judged by statistics. They’re always judged by the amount of robberies that happen, is always judged by the amount of murders that happen. What we cannot quantify is the amount of crime that the police department can prevent by doing certain operations, by doing certain patrols, which is, understandable. You  cannot count something that never happened. But I believe that, as you saw the numbers, I think we were one less murder. And we are also down in a major crime. There’s a lot more to do. I am aware that there’s a lot more that we can do. We have been working very hard in making sure that we solve most of those murders that happen. It is a priority for me whenever something happens, especially when it comes to murder, that the police department can have a thorough investigation that can lead to an arrest and that can lead to charges and ultimately for a conviction.”

The post Minister Mira Unsure Why Media Missed CompStat first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

                           Oscar Mira

Oscar Mira, Minister of Home Affairs

“That is under investigation. However, the report that I received was that it is not missing. It is there, it was just a police officer who had put it on the desk in a drawer, and another police officer went and sent it to the exhibit keeper. So it is accounted for as far as the information that I got from the Commissioner of Police. But an investigation is happening to ensure that we follow the proper protocols. It cannot be that you just leave evidence lying around. So that is going to be investigated to ensure that proper procedures are followed.”

Britney Gordon

“What is a procedure that should have been followed in that case then?

Oscar Mira

“No. When you have evidence, those evidence should follow a chain of custody and eventually end up at the keepers or the exhibit keepers possession to be signed for by the exit keeper from the person that took it there. I think that in this particular instance, that procedure was not followed and an investigation, internal investigation is happening to ensure that police follow the proper procedure.”

The post Missing Cocaine Evidence Recovered in Orange Walk first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Back on June eighth, 2015, chaos erupted on Caye Caulker as residents rioted over the death of eighteen‑year‑old Hilberto Sotz. He’d been picked up for questioning about a burglary and died inside the Caye Caulker Police Station. A post‑mortem later found he suffered a massive heart attack caused by blunt‑force injuries to his head and body. Police constables Leonard Nunez and Hallet King were charged. Today, the Caribbean Court of Justice put those manslaughter charges back in place, after the Court of Appeal had previously thrown them out.

Justice Maureen Rajnauth-Lee, Caribbean Court of Justice

“This court has considered both the written and oral submissions. And we have arrived at consensus, so all five of us agree on the order that will be made. One, the appeal is allowed. Two, the convictions of the two respondents are reinstated. Ms. Vidal, that would be the appropriate term.”

Cheryl-Lynn Vidal, Director of Public Prosecutions

“I believe so, your Honor. Yes. Thank you. And the matter is remitted to the Court of appeal for the hearing and to and determination of the appeal by the crown on sentencing.”

The allegation against officers Nunez and King is a serious one: investigators say the pair brutally mistreated Sotz while he was being questioned. And today in court, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl‑Lynn Vidal, laid out exactly what evidence had been brought against the two officers in earlier proceedings, giving the judge a clear picture of the case that’s been building over time.

Cheryl-Lynn Vidal, Director of Public Prosecutions

“There was a prisoner, another person in custody, Manuel Guerra, who was outside of that room. He could not see what was going on in the room, but his evidence was that he was able to hear what was happening, and he gave evidence of hearing bawling and please to stop, and a slapping sound, and then hearing everything go quiet. Shortly after he saw the victim Sotz, whom he had known before being taken out, appear unconscious by both of the respondents.”

Following their son’s death, Santorino and Carmelina Sotz demanded justice. Sotz had been picked up by police in connection with a series of burglaries on the island; offenses his mother, Carmelina, insisted he could not have committed.

                Carmelina Sotz

Carmelina Sotz, Mother of Deceased (File Date: June 9^th, 2015)

“When di burglary happened da Sunday night.  My son neva mi deh pan di island.  He mih deh da Belmopan, yeah, because he go dah school da Belmopan Baptist High School.  He deh da second form and he neva mi deh pan di island when da thing happen.”

Three days after Sotz died, island residents marched in solidarity with his family, demanding justice. Then in 2016, outrage grew when charges against the officers were reduced from murder to manslaughter because prosecutors said they didn’t have enough evidence for a murder case. In 2019, the men were found guilty of the charge. This was later overturned at the Court of Appeal.  Vidal explains the grounds on which the appeal was made.

Cheryl-Lynn Vidal

“In the premises, we would allow Mr. Nunez appeal on the first and second grounds of appeal concerning the judge’s direction on intention. We would also allow Mr. King’s appeal on the fourth ground of appeal concerning the judge’s failure to exclude prejudicial evidence.”

Vidal flatly dismissed those arguments, and the Caribbean Court of Justice ultimately threw out the appeal. This means that King and Nunez will return to court to face the manslaughter charge, turning a new page on the Sotz’s lengthy battle for justice.

Carmelina Sotz (File Date: June 9^th, 2015)

“If I seh di police kill ahn maybe I di judge wrong, I noh know.  Ah wahn wait til I hayah what di docta dehn wahn seh then.  I noh know weh kill ahn.”

The case now returns to the Belize Court of Appeal for sentencing proceedings. Britney Gordon for News Five.

The post CCJ Restores Manslaughter Convictions in Sotz Case first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

                 Reymundo Reyes

Sr. Superintendent Reymundo Reyes, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“This morning, I started a video recording. PSB has been directed to look into the matter, so that matter will be investigated and reports will be given. If the person comes to the police station and makes a complaint, then it’ll be dealt with.”

Britney Gordon

“And when it comes to what the police were actually trying to enforce there of getting these people off of the street, is that something that is considered in a law given that those people don’t have like space for a veranda and they want to just commune in their community?”

Sr. Superintendent Reymundo Reyes

“What people have to realize, we, the police officers when we approach situations like this, is because we try to minimize incidents from happening. When we have persons hanging around on the street side or in front of a house, they become a target to the situation. So maybe the way how the police officer handled the situation was not that perfect or professional, but his intent was to have them in a safe area inside the premises for avoid them being a victim for shootings. We have seen it over and over that whenever people see gatherings and so forth, that is what they take advantage of and shootings happen.”

The post Police Officer Under Investigation for Shoving Woman first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

                  Reymundo Reyes

Sr. Superintendent Reymundo Reyes, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“At first, police officers used to use a tent, but because of certain reasons where we saw police officers were not actually moving around the way how we wanted. And we had a spike of shooting incidents within close proximity. Administration at that time decided to remove the tents, not only from this area, but from other areas within the city. But the community is the one who actually saw the need and donated this boot for the officers here. This is a key point within the city where we have people travelers from the Taylors Alley area into the George Street area, and it’s a business hub. So having a police presence here actually assists us in minimizing incidents of robbery shootings and so forth. We welcome the assistance of the community, the see it necessary. They approach administration in Belmopan and they agreed that yes, you could come assist us. And they donated the bill for the officers here.”

Reporter

“The issue with ventilation, I know that they have the doors completely open. I think the had mentioned that they’d get windows to the back as well,”

Sr. Superintendent Reymundo Reyes

“That is being looked at. Definitely from this afternoon I will have somebody come, take measurements and so forth so that they could start to work. And then, because we need visual on that back area of the building to see vehicles or people coming from the other side.”

Reporter

“It’s certainly an upgrade from a tent. It’s, made out of plastic. Are we sure that this will be durable? And last the test of time?”

Sr. Superintendent Reymundo Reyes

“Like how I said, we appreciate this is a donation given to us, the police department. It’ll actually shelter officers from the wait that is one from the heat two. And it make me feel, make them feel more comfortable when they have their time for their lunch or so far that they could have somewhere to sit down and have their lunch or breakfast.”

The post Business Community Donates Police Booth first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

On the Phone: Anthony Dennison, Lord’s Bank Resident

“Yesterday we gone da do border gone buy clothes and thing fi school right. We neva really come back down. So we end up book wa hotel. So between four this morning, ney bally dine come da my hiuse bout five different time or so, bruk down the door and alla dat. And the neighnor ney tell ney nobody noh deh deh and ney still bruk inna di house.”

Britney Gordon

“And were you guys informed of the police visiting your residence? How did you find out?”

On the Phone: Anthony Dennison

“That da weh I di tell you. Nobody noh tell me. Da pan di camera I end up see. The neighbor explain to them we noh deh home. We neva did deh home, I actually have the proof because I stamp out ova di border di buy. I was in Belize City when we come back  because we come back cross from there kind of late. Now coming home today da when we get the understanding that all ah this di happen. I want know weh fi do about the situation. Da no my property. I di rent.”

The post Dennison Claims Police Broke Down His Door first appeared on Greater Belize Media.