Two Belize Defense Force soldiers are in lockdown, unable to meet bail, tonight after they were charged with betraying their oath of service and stealing an M-16 from the BDF's armory.
The disgraced soldiers are Sergeant Eloy Hemmans and Corporal Hansel Petillo who were this afternoon arraigned before Chief Magistrate Herbert lord for theft and handling stolen goods.
The brand new M-16, still in its original packaging, was recovered in a search at a home in West Landivar where cops also found a stash of 299 live rounds of 5.56 ammunition, 13 live rounds of.380, 27 live rounds of 9 millimeter ammunition along with two metal magazines for M-16 guns.
7NEWS understands that the M-16 was stolen in pieces and over a period of time. Police would not confirm this and offered no comment saying it would prejudice a case that is being handled very cautiously. The BDF also had no comment. In court this afternoon, the prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that the M-16's magazine is still missing and also that more charges are pending against Sergeant Hemmans and his wife for the 9 rounds of ammunition. Bail however was granted in the sum of $5,000 on the condition that the soldiers surrender their travel documents and report to the clerk of court. Up to newstime none had met the bond and have been remanded.