At the top of the newscast, we told you about the three police officers in Orange Walk who were shot – but they weren’t the only cops injured over the weekend. But the other case did not occur in the line of duty; did not involve an officer in uniform and did not involve gunplay. But police constable 668 Aldo Valdez was socializing when he was stabbed. Senior Superintendent James Magdaleno explained.
Sr. Supt. James Magdaleno,
“PC Valdez was at the BTL Park socializing when he got into a misunderstanding and he was stabbed to the right side of his abdomen. He was transported to the hospital. He was treated and he is now in a stable condition. For that incident we have since arrested Delroy Smith, he is 25 years of number one Lock’s Alley, Belize City for the crime of attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm, and dangerous harm.”
And while this spate of attacks upon police is reason for concern, Police Commissioner Gerald Westby is optimistic about one thing; he says the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final court of appeal will help as an overall deterrent to what is happening in Belize.
Gerald Westby,
“I think this will speed up appeals and it also will provide a Caribbean flavour to the final court of appeal because sometimes these cases take much too long.”
And while the CCJ has been popularised as the hangman’s court, its proponents have resisted that characterization.
