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ComPol Williams Says Sgt. Devon Makin Acted to Secure His Safety

Commissioner of Police Chester Williams has finally broken his silence on the viral video that surfaced over the weekend of a police officer pistol whipping an individual in San Pedro. That officer has been identified as Sergeant Devon Makin. Well, ComPol Williams says the video was spliced to paint Makin in a negative light. He explained that Makin was off duty when a pair of minors approached him and informed him that they were being chased by three armed men in masks. ComPol Williams says, Sergeant Makin pursued the men, one of whom was seen being apprehended in the video. But was the individual armed and does the Commissioner of Police consider Sergeant Makin’s response to be an excessive use of force? Here is how he explained the entirety of the incident,

including all that he says was not captured on camera.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“First and foremost let me say that many a times when we have these video footage that are sent to the media or posted on different social media platform, the persons who recorded these video footages often times just release what they want the public to see and would splice the video for their own convenience. I think before we jump to our own conclusion it is essential that we ascertain what actually transpired. In this particular instance the sergeant had reported off duty and was on his way home. On his way he was stopped by two minors who were extremely frantic and in fear who complained to him that the same young man you all saw in the video with him and about two other persons were chasing them with mask and firearm. The sergeant being the type of person he is, he didn’t leave them in cold. He returned and went to see if he could apprehend these individuals. He met the one seen with him in the video and obviously the information is that he may be armed, the police may need to take out his weapon to secure his safety as well as the safety of others. In so doing, what you normally do when you have a suspect that is armed you would put him to kneel down or on the ground on his belly until you ascertain he is safe. The sergeant attempted to do that but while he was trying to put the person in either of those positions the young man was resisting. He only have two hands so he was holding him with one hand, and he had the gun in the other hand. So he tried to hit him with the other hand and that is the hand that had the gun. I am not going to condone the issue of the pistol whipping cause the truth is the weapon could have gone off and the outcome could have been different. But we have to look at the issue in its totality. It is not like the sergeant just went and pick on someone for no reason and just beat him up. There was a complaint made by two minors and though he was off duty he responded to the call of the two minors to apprehend the individual. Those people who did the video recording knows what happened, but they went and splice the video. Now the two minors and their parents had gone to the San Pedro Police Station and lodged his complaint. The young man now, as much as the public is crying out for him, he escaped because when the officer went after to try and apprehend the others he escaped. And from then to now he has not resurfaced. He has gone to hiding. So if it is that you know you are so innocent, you have done nothing wrong and the police have abused you then why don’t you come forward and make your complaint. But he has not done that. So that just goes to show that he knows exactly what he did and he intends to continue hiding from the law.”

Is the Opposition Leader Trying to Score Political Points off Police?

ComPol Willliams also responded to criticisms that the Leader of the Opposition made against him on Tuesday. Moses “Shyne” Barrow expressed his disappointment in the fact that days had passed without the commissioner or any of the department’s top brass addressing the viral police video. Barrow chastised the Commissioner of Police for not acting swiftly in this matter. Well, today ComPol William had a response for Barrow. Here is what he had to say.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I listened to the interview by the leader of the opposition yesterday and what he failed to say to you is that he sits, waits for something he believes is like a scrumptious meal and the alacrity with which he pounces on it to gain political mileage is alarming. Here comes the media feeding him with that scrumptious meal and he gets that energy, that power to say things. But he failed to say to you that when the U.D.P. was in power and he needed security, bodyguard, it was the same Devon Making that use to body guard him. And, up to now even though he promised to pay the sergeant for the work he did the sergeant has not been paid. He promised that when he came into power, he would do this and that. Come on Shyne Barrow, he have to be real.”

Is Sgt. Makin’s Familial Ties Affecting the ComPol’s Judgment?

It is no secret that Sergeant Devon Makin is Commissioner of Police Chester Williams’ godson. So, is his familial ties with the officer influencing his response to the police abuse claims? As you have heard the commissioner say, he does not condone Sergeant Makin’s decision to pistol whip the individual. He further revealed that the Professional Standards Branch is carrying out an investigation into the incident. But is his relation to Makin affecting his better judgment? Here is how he responded to that question.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“When he had the issue with Inspector Martinez, he is my first cousin and what happened? My first cousin is more to me than a godson. If I was able to move quickly on inspector Martinez who is my first cousin then why would I not be able to do so with Mr. Makin if it were that we were not looking at the think wholistically. I am not going to be the one to jump on something because Shyne Barrow wants me to do it. Professional Standards Branch is in the picture. They are investigating. Once an investigation is done then we go from there.

Imagine if those two children were your children and they were being chased by and individual with gun and mask, would you reaction be the same? The question to you, would your reaction be the same? I am sure not.”

Paul Lopez

“We know that any disciplinary charges you have to approve, will you approve such being brought against your godson?”

Chester Williams

“I brought a scenario to you earlier where I said Inspector Martinez is my first cousin and despite that he was charged. So please don’t try to come and make things seems that because of certain people they are privileged. I don’t work that way. There are many people who are relatives of mine who does wrong and I made sure they are dealt within accordance with the law. So please don’t try to paint a different picture.”

Reporter

“Is the public allowed to capture police in the conduct of their duties?”

Chester Williams

“Yes they are, so long as they have sufficient distance that is not obstructing the police from carrying out their duties they can do so.”

Late this evening Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow responded to the ComPol’s remarks, he says quote, “It is a typical deflection tactic from the very serious issue of police brutality. Officer Makin is wrong and needs to be disinclined like every other police officer that has been captured using excessive force. What makes Officer Makin so special, that he can be captured on video pistol whipping an unarmed suspect and not face reprimand?”, end quote.

Belize Red Cross Appeals for Assistance for Caribbean Sister Countries

The Belize Red Cross is appealing to the Belizean public for donations to support ongoing recovery efforts in Grenada, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Barbados, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and the Cayman Islands following Hurricane Beryl. While Belize was spared, these Caribbean nations urgently need assistance.

Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 storm on record in the Atlantic Ocean, began impacting the region on July 1, 2024, devastating Barbados and subsequently causing severe damage in Grenada, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Lucia, and Jamaica. Homes, infrastructure, and essential services have been severely affected, with significant loss of life reported and thousands displaced.

Financial donations to aid these recovery efforts can be made to The Belize Red Cross Society’s Disaster Account #1082665 at Heritage Bank Limited. The appeal for assistance will remain open from July to November 2024, and international donations can be sent via wire transfer.

Baby Toucans Rescued from Mud in Succotz After Tree Pruning Disrupts Nesting

According to the Belize Raptor Center, last week, a baby toucan was found stuck in the mud in the village of Succotz. The discovery was made near a tree that had been recently stripped of its branches. The baby toucan was trapped beneath the thick mud. According to the Belize Raptor Center, without branches to fledge from, the young bird was at a disadvantage.

Rescuers cleaned the toucan and attempted to place it in a nearby tree where its parents were. However, as they were about to leave, the toucan tried to fly and ended up in the river. An intern quickly dove in to rescue the bird. The toucan was then taken to the Belize Wildlife & Referral Clinic for treatment after aspirating water during the incident.

Belize Raptor Center says the tree has been a nesting site for toucans for as long as the community can remember, but without branches, the young birds now lack a crucial step in their flight practice. The following day, a second baby toucan was found on the ground in the mud. Both young toucans are now at BBR, where they will be rehabilitated before being released back to their family group in Succotz.

The Office of the Prime Minister Holds Buy Belizean Campaign Informational Session

The Office of the Prime Minister, through BELTRAIDE, hosted a Buy Belizean Information and Exchange session today at the Phoenix Business Center in Belmopan. The session brought together key stakeholders from both the public and private to discuss and design the initiatives aimed at boosting local Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The “Buy Belizean” initiative is part of the Government of Belize’s broader effort to encourage consumers to choose locally produced goods, thereby supporting Belizean businesses and contributing to national economic development. The interactive discussions provided valuable insights and facilitated a constructive exchange of ideas on how to further support and expand the Buy Belizean initiative.

Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Investment Policy and Compliance Unit(IPCU), Belize Bureau of Standards (BBS), Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Directorate General for Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Rural Development, Economic Development Council (EDC), Ministry of Home Affairs and New Growth, BELTRAIDE, Ministry of Blue Economy, and the Government of Belize’s Press Office.

BELTRAIDE’s Executive Director, Dr. Leroy Almendarez, highlighted the importance of fostering local economic growth, enhancing product quality, and creating sustainable business opportunities within Belize. He also remarked that “today’s session was a significant step towards strengthening our local economy and empowering our MSMEs and we look forward to continued collaboration and progress in this endeavor.”

(Press release)

Police Charge Jamal Hyde with Abetment to Murder

Police have made inroads in the murder and attempted murder incident that happened in Cotton Tree on Saturday. The murder suspect is still at large, but today they informed the media that they have arrested and charged twenty-two-year-old Jamal James Hyde, a construction worker from Cayo with two counts of abetment to murder. The charges are in connection with the murder of thirty-nine-year-old Clint Castillo and the attempted murder of Andrew Muns. It’s an interesting scenario because the shootings happened in an area that the state of emergency covers, and because the man charged comes from the Roaring Creek area, known to have clashes with individuals from Cotton Tree in the past. On Monday, Muns’ sister, Anna Middleton, told News Five that the family is having a hard time coping with the loss, having suffered the loss of another brother only four months ago.

Anna Middleton, Sister of Clint Castillo

“It’s hurting us, the family because we are trying to recover. I know we have this to recover also. I’ve seen a lot of family go through this, but I would never. Believe in me. I’m not on my door. We don’t have our mom. We don’t have our power. We just have each other, you know? So I don’t know what’s that reason behind the killing because Clint wasn’t a criminal.”

Not So Fast! Despite Bail, Cameron Williams is Swept Up Under S.O.E.

The existing state of emergency proves that no one suspected of being involved in gang activity is above being collared, even at the courts. That’s what happened today when Police Street resident Cameron Williams was granted bail after being charged for being the member of a gang. The twenty-one-year-old, immediately following his court appearance earlier today, was snatched up by officers who detained him and placed him on remand at the Belize Central Prison under the S.O.E. Williams was before the lower courts on a single charge and upon being granted bail of five thousand dollars, plus one surety of the same amount, he was informed by the prosecutor that he is a person of interest under the state of emergency. Before he could process his bail, Williams, who has been in custody at the Belize Central Prison since May eighth, will spend an additional ninety days in jail.

Kijahe Molina Pleads Guilty to Stabbing Off-duty Policeman

It’s been a year since twenty-year-old Kijahe Molina was charged with wounding an off-duty police officer. The call center agent, then nineteen, is accused of stabbing Police Constable Zani Zavala at Good Will Supermarket. When he appeared in the magistrate’s court today, in the company of attorney Hurl Hamilton, Molina threw himself at the mercy of the court, asking for probation instead of a custodial sentence. After pleading guilty to wounding, Molina was fined nine hundred dollars and bound over to keep the peace for a period of one year in the sum of one thousand dollars. The prosecutor did not object to the fine, despite Molina’s attorney expecting that he would have been given probation. Molina is a first-time offender with no previous convictions.

Brian Perriott Changes Guilty Plea in Cybercrime Case Involving Nude Photos

Brian Lee Perriott, 26, initially pleaded guilty to charges under the Cybercrime Act for circulating nude photos of a woman on Facebook. However, after three days on remand, he changed his plea to not guilty during sentencing today. Perriott, who now has legal representation from Elrington & Co. Ltd., was offered bail of $8,000 with one surety of the same amount.

The court imposed several conditions on Perriott’s bail, including a prohibition on social media engagement regarding the case and a requirement to stay 100 yards away from the victim. During the session, Prosecutor Sgt. Christopher Smith argued against the change of plea, emphasising the seriousness of the offence and the need to uphold privacy laws. Despite this, the magistrate allowed the plea change, noting the defence’s arguments and the lack of evidence suggesting Perriott is a flight risk.

Perriott had been accused of sharing nude photos of a 20-year-old woman and threatening her and her family after the relationship ended. The magistrate warned Perriott about the strict conditions of his bail and the serious consequences of any violations.