Two years ago in March of 2009 - Police Constable Manuel Hill was big in the news - he was accused of setting up an elaborate hit on a Chinese businessman. He allegedly did it along with Kevin "Cowboy" Alvarez.
Well, so much for that plot…because he was acquitted of abetment to commit murder today in the Belmopan Supreme Court. The jury of 8 deliberated for about 2 hours before it arrived at its verdict which was unanimous.
The jury was reduced from 9 to 8 when one of them was excused for having to take university exams. The incident occurred in March 2009 in Belmopan. It is alleged by the crown that Hill had committed the offense by giving Chinese businessman Ron Ban Lou the contact numbers of a person who was a contract killer.
Hill testified and said a senior police officer had encouraged him to give a confession statement because he was going to be used as a witness in the case. Hill was represented by attorney Simeon Sampson. Crown Counsel Trenia Young represented the prosecution.
The murder conspiracy centered around the apparent contract killing of 38 year old Hui Lin Chen and three officers injured when they pursued the alleged gunman, Kevin Cowboy Alvarez.
