BELIZE CITY, Mon. Sept. 4, 2017–Two separate preliminary inquiries were conducted by Acting Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser, for two men charged with separate murders in the Belize District.

The first preliminary inquiry was for Patrick Harris, 19, who was charged with the December 31, 2016 murder of Dillon Grinage, 25.

Harris is being represented by attorney Oscar Selgado. At the end of the paper committal to the October Session of the Supreme Court, the court prosecutor, Corporal Christopher Smith, submitted seven statements that police investigators had taken from witnesses and a number of official reports having to do with the case.

The prosecutor also submitted the death certificate of the murdered man (Grinage), scenes of crimes photographs, and the arrest warrant.

At the end of the process, the Acting Chief Magistrate explained to Harris that his case was being committed to the upcoming October Session of the Supreme Court, which will open on October 3.

Grinage, a handyman of Sandhill, was at a food stand in the village when a lone gunman emerged and shot him multiple times in the head and body.

The other accused murderer who was committed to the October Session of the Supreme Court is Enfield Ervin Fitzgibbon, 27, who has been charged with the murder of Kemar Nicholas, 19. Nicholas was shot in the neck in late January, in Lindo’s Alley, a short distance away from his home. He succumbed to his injuries on February 3, 2017.

Fitzgibbon was initially charged with attempted murder, dangerous harm, and use of deadly means of harm, but the charges were upgraded to murder when Nicholas died.

In addition to the murder charge, Fitzgibbon is also facing summary charges of keeping a prohibited firearm and ammunition.

Both Harris and Fitzgibbon have joined a growing list of over 200 accused murderers who are awaiting trial at the Supreme Court.