Tonight, 20-year-old Jahson Gonguez, a resident of Curl Thompson Street, is spending his first night on remand at the Belize Central Prison. That's after he was accused of shooting Police Sergeant Nowel Muschamp.
At this time, it is unclear why Gonguez and 3 other young men allegedly targeted the officer, but there is suspicion is that they may have intended to steal his licensed firearm. The victim told his police colleagues that at around 3 on Saturday afternoon, he was in an area near to the Belize Port Authority's compound.
The officer said that while he was driving his vehicle out of the area, he saw a group of young men trying to block his way. One of them allegedly pulled out a weapon and opened fire on him. Sergeant Muschamp was able to escape, but he was injured while returning fire.
The Department's spokesperson briefly discussed this incident today:
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood - Director of Communications, ComPol's Office
"Sergeant Noel Muschamp was on a feeder road about a half-mile into the Port Authority Compound, where he claimed that he was servicing his licensed firearm. And, upon leaving the area where he was, 4 young men blocked that feeder road, where he had to speed up toward them because one of them was armed. Upon driving past them, shots were fired at him. He managed to return fire, where he made good his escape from that area. He called for police assistance and was transported to the KHMH. He was hit in the right calf area. Since then, Jahson Gonguez has been charged for use of deadly means of harm and wounding in relation to that incident."
"So far the investigation has revealed that these individuals are from that area. If you know the Jane Usher Boulevard area, it has direct access to what we would refer to as the open area by Port Authority. And, you know, crimes are committed when individuals seize opportunities. So, for us to speculate as to what may have or may have not happened would be very wrong at this time. What we do know is that they did not get his firearm, and someone was charged who he identified as one of the persons."
The accused gunman, Jahson Gonguez, was taken to Magistrate's Court today for the offenses of use of deadly means of harm and wounding.
Before he could be arraigned on those new charges, he was taken before Justice Herbert Lord. He and co-accused Steven Vernon were facing a previous charge of use of deadly means of harm for the May 2016 shooting of Frank Young.
In today's hearing before Justice Lord, Crown Counsel Porsha Staine-Ferguson informed the court that the DPP's Office was entering a "nolle pros" against both defendants. They have opted to discontinue their prosecution against Gonguez and Vernon at this time.
Shortly after he was freed of that previous criminal charge, he was escorted before Senior Magistrate Tricia Pitts-Anderson for the 2 new offenses in connection with the shooting of Sergeant Muschamp.
The presiding magistrate took no plea from him and denied bail in this first instance. Gonguez was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until his next court date, which is scheduled for August 31, 2021.
