He told the court he is a construction supervisor for the Conscious Youth Development Programme but that did not stop Belize City police from arresting and charging the notorious Darren Banks. Investigators believe that the 30 year old Banks is one of seven men who tried to steal a twenty foot container with over eleven million pseudo ephedrine tablets from inside the port compound on the night of August twenty ninth.
While the suspects did manage to cut a hole through the chain link fence to gain access onto the property, their presence was captured on security surveillance cameras. But by the time police arrived, they were unable to catch their burglars. The police would not say whether or not it was the security video tape that led them to Darren Banks but he was charged after a witness positively identified him as one of the armed robbers.
Darren Banks who is defended by Attorney Richard Dickie Bradley was today formally arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate Court on the charge of attempted robbery. But when banks appeared before Magistrate Sharon Frazer he pleaded not guilty and his attorney told the courts that his client is being targeted by the police.
The Police Prosecutor Sergeant Hector Rodriquez objected to bail telling the court that the investigation is ongoing and if given bail the police believe that Darren Banks could interfere with their investigation and witnesses. Bradley said that there is no reason why Darren Banks would interfere with the police investigation and witnesses. In the end Magistrate Sharon Frazer stated that while the prosecution objected to bail, their grounds of objection was weak.
Darren Banks was then granted bail of six thousand dollars plus one surety of the same amount. But before he left the courtroom, Magistrate Frazer cautioned him by stating she hopes she is not making a mistake and that if he gets into any trouble within the course of the case, his bail will be confiscated and he will be sent directly to jail. By twelve noon Darren Banks was able to meet bail and was released. He is scheduled to reappear in court on October twenty ninth.
