In response to the alarming report, the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, said that “the good Lord is [his] guide“ and he indicated that the threat is being neutralized .
BELIZE CITY, Wed. May 18, 2022
The details are sketchy, but the allegations— that a woman residing on Caye Caulker who had a case that was being heard in the Magistrate’s Court, and who was fearing an unfavorable ruling, contracted a local city gang to carry out a hit on the Magistrate hearing the case and also on the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams — are just sensational.
It appears that a relative of the Magistrate, who reportedly knows persons connected to the local gangs, learned of the planned hit and alerted authorities, who commenced an operation to “neutralize that plot” and possibly apprehend the woman who sought the deaths of two persons at the highest levels of local enforcement.
When interviewed by reporters, Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams indicated that the woman who hired gang members to kill him is in fact known to police, and was wanted for questioning.
“I’m not going to disclose much about it, because like I said, there are certain things we are doing to ensure that the threat is neutralized, and the person in question who we believe is behind the hit, we are also looking at that individual, and whenever the time is right for us to bring that person in, we’re going to bring that person in,” said Commissioner Williams.
He also explained, “I have tasked CIB and Commander Operations to do certain things, because the person who actually put out the hit known to us and those that we were told are the ones being hired to do the hit — we also know who they are, and so they are being monitored by the police. What needs to be done will be done. At the end of the day, as the Commissioner of Police I have a job to do, and I’m not going to be deterred from doing my job, because of some persons who may be aggrieved of whatever may have been done to them.”
He further stated, “.. We do understand the person’s motivation as to why they may want to do certain things and with the hope to get myself and the particular magistrate out of the equation, things are going to be better for them, but that’s not true.”
The Police Commissioner pledged that the Caye Caulker resident, who, according to recent reports is a North American woman, would be picked up by police in due time.
Tonight, we understand that Jasmine Hartin, accused murderer of Henry Jemmott, has been detained by police for questioning in connection with the planned hit. She told local media that she is being blackmailed and set up by a man she claims is her former maintenance worker. The man, Lionel Neal, filed a counter-report in which he claimed that they have been lovers for nearly 7 months.
Hartin said that Neal sexually assaulted her before saying that he would tell police that she murdered Henry Jemmott and plotted to order a hit on three other persons. She said that upon making her report she told police officers of Neal’s intention. He was today arraigned in the Belize City Magistrates Court, where he was read charges of burglary with intent to rape and using threatening words. He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail of $2500 plus a surety of the same amount, which he met this afternoon.
Neal was ordered to stay away from Hartin and off Caye Caulker. He claims that Hartin used cocaine regularly and at one point did make threats against prominent officials.