In late August we told you about you Johnathan Cal, the cop who - along with his girlfriend - was allegedly caught bringing a relative across the border from Guatemala near Jalacte.
Well, after they got out of quarantine Johnathan Cal and Jeidi Trapp were charged for assisting a person to enter Belize illegally, while the alleged border jumper Nayelie Alegria was charged for entering Belize illegally.
They were arraigned in the Toledo District today - and we thought it might have been under the new criminal laws that deny bail for border jumpers and those who assist them.
But, they got bail - and here's how. Their attorney Hurl Hamilton explained via phone that they were not charged under the new laws which restrict bail:
Hurl Hamilton, Attorney-at-law
"Today the learned magistrate recorded a not guilty plea from all 3 defendants, and they were afforded bail in the sum of 2,000 dollars each with one surety and have to return back to court on the 9th of November of this year."
Reporter
"How were you able to get bail for your clients in the magistrate's court?"
Hurl Hamilton
"There is an amendment to the crime control criminal justice act, but I am happy that you ask that question. If you were to have a look at the amendment, the amendment only affects individuals who are charged under the immigration act and under the customs regulations act. Having said that, then it would have been my respectful, you and obviously the learned magistrate that her honour then would have more restriction in deciding whether to grant bail or not. All 3 defendants were not charged under either one of those two sections of the law."
As you heard, they will return to our ton the 9th November.
