Two policemen are out on bail tonight after they were charged for beating on a 22 year old in Caye Caulker Village. Luis Alcoser a laborer of the island was beaten on Saturday at around 7:30 allegedly by police officers. From his bed at the KHMH where he has been from Saturday night he told us what happened.
Alfonso Noble Reporting, Email - [alfnoble@yahoo.com]
Police officers Ricardo Cowo and John Mas
appeared in Magistrate's Court this afternoon to answer to charges of dangerous harm after 22-year-old Luis Alcoser was severely beaten on Saturday night on the island of Caye Caulker.
From his bed at the KHMH Alcoser told us that he was on the island when he was approached by a man who simply began to beat on him.
Luis Alcoser, Alleged Beating Victim
"The police officer who beat me, he reached right there and he didn't even tell me what was happening or what I was getting arrested for, he just grabbed me by my shirt and threw me into the Trooper. Like how I was on the ground, I tried to get up and he held on to his pants and he said not to hold onto him. As he told me that he knocked me in my mouth knocking out one of my teeth. When I was looking for my teeth he started to work me out more on the ground and after that I got knocked out. When I woke up I was in the cell and right in the cell they just finished doing what they had to do. I bawled and bawled and the more I bawl, the more they worked me (beat me) because they said I am playing the fool."
Luisa Alcoser, Luis' Mother
"One of my daughter's friend told me to come on the golf cart with her. I went with them and when I went with them, when I reached at the airstrip the boy was laying down on the vehicle from the police and then I started to ask him what happened to him and then they tell me, the doctor come and he told me I don't what is wrong with your son; maybe one of his ribs is broken or something happen to him inside because your son can't breathe."
With that he was taken to the KHMH where he is being treated for severe internal injuries as a result of which his spleen had to be removed. Police Press Officer G. Michael Reid says that charges lain on the two officers came after their investigations showed that the lawmen used excessive force.
G. Michael Reid,
"Mr. Alcoser was being apprehended by a police officer for allegedly hurling some insulting comments towards the police officer. The police officer requested help, this police officer was off-duty at the time, and he received help from another police officer who was on-duty. Some altercation occurred whereby we understand this individual was resisting arrest. He was taken to the police station but thereafter taken to the Caye Caulker Clinic where he was diagnosed as having receiving injuries. The police have determined that whatever force was used to apprehend Mr. Alcoser was excessive and in fact the Acting Commissioner of Police Maureen Leslie has directed that police officers be charged and that in fact we believe the force used was unjustifiable."
And that's why Alcoser is questioning the policemen's actions because he says he did nothing to deserve such a beating.
Luis Alcoser,
"That is what I would like to know: why they have to do me this because I didn't do them nothing. I didn't do them nothing, nothing at all. I wasn't wanted for nothing on the island nor was I hiding from them, I was just going to the this little pageant thing they were having and they just approached me like that. I was drinking but I wasn't drunk so that's why I knew what I was doing and I did not insult...probably I insulted them afterwards but not at the moment when they came at me. So I would really to see like justice because if I had passed away on Sunday this wasn't going to happen; this wasn't going to happen if I had passed away. If I had passed away nothing was going to come out of it, they were just going to get charged and get released but I am the one that's suffering so I have to do something about it."
But since he didn't Alcoser says he'll take the matter as far as he could to ensure that the men he says beat him are dealt with appropriately.
Officers Mas and Cowo were let out on 5 thousand dollar bail this evening, they are expected to reappear in court on June 29th during which a preliminary inquiry will be held to determine if the matter should be taken up to Supreme Court.