Karim Morris, 24, of Belama Phase III; Linsford Acosta, 27, of Waha Street; and Elroy Smith, 32, of Belama Phase IV, all of Belize City, appeared this afternoon in the #1 Magistrate’s Court in connection with the shooting of police constable Nigel White, 23, on March 27, 2011 at his place of work – the Belama police sub-station at the corner of Albert Hoy Avenue and Chetumal Street, on the boundary between Phases I and II of the residential subdivision.
There are four persons in all, who police say were involved in the shooting, but the fourth person has not yet been apprehended.
Morris, Acosta and the unidentified person are accused of stealing the officer’s Smith and Wesson .38 revolver, issued to the Belize Police Department by the Government of Belize (GOB) and valued at $2,000, for which they were charged with robbery. Morris and Acosta were also read charges of attempted murder, dangerous harm, and use of deadly means of harm.
Morris and Smith are further accused of keeping an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, for being found in possession of a .38 revolver and 4 live rounds of .38 ammunition.
According to police, on April 7, 2011 they interviewed Morris and Smith about the White shooting. As a result of those interviews, they were led to a mangrove area near the river in the Belama Phase III area, where they recovered a .38 revolver, with serial number CDY1412, and the ammunition, both of which police believe were stolen from P.C. White. (It is not clear what happened to the gun the alleged shooters took with them to the substation.)
Officer White was shot once in the chest after he was surprised by his assailants in the substation around 12:30 that Sunday morning. He was told to lie on the floor, but instead pulled his weapon on the men and was shot by the lone armed man among the trio. They then took his gun as he lay slumped over his desk, and fled.
White, who graduated from the Police Academy in Belmopan only last year and had only been on active duty for the last six months, was initially listed in critical condition after being rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH). Reliable reports to Amandala are that his condition has improved since then and police confirmed today that he is now stable at the KHMH.
In court, Chief Magistrate Margaret Gabb-McKenzie took no plea from the three accused, and they were denied bail due to the nature of the offences for which they are charged. They will return to court #8 on May 12, 2011.