Three persons, two adults and a 15 year old minor, were charged with the Doony’s robbery when they appeared today in the number 5 Magistrate’s Court. The adults are 22 year old Marlon Jones, 18 year old Aaron Smith, and a student of Maud Williams High School formerly St. Michael’s College. They pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Magistrate Albert Hoare explained to them that the court cannot offer them bail because of the nature of the offence. He remanded them into custody until April 22nd.
On Wednesday, March 10th the robbers were captured on security Camera entering Doony’s at the corner of Albert Street and Prince Streets where they stole a gun from the Security Guard, Jason Maxo, and pistol whipped him. They also pistol whipped the cashier while they were trying to get into the cash register. After failing to open the cash register the robbers fled taking the security guard’s 9 milimeter pistol and cell phone.
One Arm Rapist Granted Retrial
A retrial was ordered today by Belize Court of Appeal for 45 year old Manuel Fernandez, a man with one arm who was convicted of raping a 39 year old woman
who is his cousin’s wife. Fernandez had been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The incident occurred on September 2nd, 2007 at the complainant’s home in Orange Walk. The complainant had testified that Fernandez came to her house apparently drunk and invited her to have sex with him. She declined and he grabbed her by her hand and dragged her to the back of the house. She fell and hit her head on a stove which gave the attacker the opportunity to rape her.
Fernandez had testified and admitted he had sex with the woman but he said it was with her consent. He had also drawn to the attention of the jury that he could not have raped the woman because he only has one arm and would not have been able to do it as she claimed he had.
His attorney Sampson had appealed on three grounds, and the panel of judges at the Court of Appeal agreed and ordered a re-trial.
Alvin Guzman Acquitted of Dousing Wife with Gasoline
A Dangriga man accused of killing his wife by dousing his wife in gasoline and lighting her on fire is free tonight. Thirty two year old Alvin Guzman, charged with the murder of 23 year old Avette Augustine, was acquitted of the charge yesterday in the Supreme Court in Dangriga.
After the prosecution closed its case Gusman’s Attorney, Simeon Sampson,
submitted that his client does not have a case to answer to. The evidence the prosecution relied on was that before she died, the victim had told her mother that Guzman set her on fire because he saw a strange name in her cell phone. Sampson submitted that whatever the dying woman told her mother was not admissible as evidence because it was not part of the dying declaration.
Justice Adolph Lucas upheld the submission and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.
It happened at her home in Georgetown around midnight on March 23rd, 2008. She died nine days later at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The prosecution was represented by Crown Counsel Elizabeth Purcell.
Only $1,500 Stolen in Social Security Robbery
It was speculated to be in the tens – some said the hundreds of thousands - but today the Social Security Board said only $1,500 in cash was stolen in Monday evening’s armed robbery at its Belize City Branch Office. As we’ve been reporting, two armed men barged into the office through a rear door and held up the cashiers.
And though Monday was the “due date” for employer contributions - the social security board says there were several deposits during the day And so no large amount of cash accumulated at the office. In addition -they say the SSB is moving towards on line and non-cash transactions. It adds that the network of security cameras provided critical evidence to the police.
Never the less – the Social Security Board says it has increased security.
