Former Benque Viejo Mayor and Ambassador to Cuba, Said Badi Guerra is facing a serious charge tonight. Today in Benque Viejo Magistrate's Court, he was arraigned on a charge of rape. This is based on the complaint made by a 16 year old male student in the middle of last year. The teenager alleged that Guerra who worked at his high school as a teacher, took him for drinks, and then carried him to his home where Guerra allegedly raped him. The teenager also suffered physical injuries which in July of last year led to four counts of sexual assault, one count of harm and one count of procuring defilement by threats. At the time, Guerra received bail of 10 thousand dollars.
Today he was back in court with the charge upgraded to rape - which is a much more serious offence. It carries a minimum sentence of 8 years and a maximum of life in prison.
Today, he appeared before Magistrate Kara Waters where he was released on bail and will re-appear in mid-March.
The boy's mother got the news of this upgrading of charges from our news team. The family has maintained from the outset that the charge should have been rape. Today, via phone she told us in Spanish that she wants him convicted:
Mother of the Victim
"Yo no me siento bien, me siento molesta por que yo oiga otros casos que esta saliendo y miro que ellos si los meten presos y miro que están haciendo mas por las otros gentes que lo que esta pasando a mi hijo no como que lo están dejando sin importancia asi. I don't feel well. I feel upset because I hear about other cases that are coming out, and I see that they are actually putting those people in jail, and I see that they are doing more for other people than for what's happening to my son. It's like they're just ignoring him."
"A mi me afectado bastante por que mi hijo ya no es el mismo, el nervioso y altera no puede dormir tranquilo ya y su comportamiento es diferente. Aveces dices, al ratos dice mami ya no querido ir al colegio por que aveces dice oigo cosas que las niños dicen y dice aveces me siento incómodo, que aveces la gente me miran que me están haciendo judge y dice por que lo me paso. It has affected me a lot because my son isn't the same anymore. He's nervous and agitated; he can't sleep peacefully anymore, and his behavior is different. Sometimes he says, 'Mommy, I don't want to go to school anymore because sometimes I hear things the other kids are saying,' and he says, 'Sometimes I feel uncomfortable, like people are judging me,' and he asks, 'Why is this happening to me?'"
The family also told us that police gave them no notice that Guerra's charge would be upgraded.
Guerra's brother is the current UDP Cayo West representative but we could not reach him for comment.
