_{Photo: Derwin Marin, remanded}

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Mon. June 10, 2024

Derwin Marin, a police constable stationed at the Queen Street Police Station, will be spending a few weeks behind bars at the Belize Central Prison, after he was accused and charged with rape, following allegations that he sought sexual favors from a female detainee in exchange for her freedom.

The alleged offense took place inside the bathroom of the Queen Street Police Station sometime over the weekend. The accused appeared at the Magistrate’s Court in Belize City today, when he was read one count of rape and remanded to prison.

“We believe that the act is such that the police officer needs to remain in prison until the matter is heard … We have been doing our best to make sure that we rid ourselves of those rogue officers who constantly do things that embarrass the department, and my presence here is a strong statement that we are doing what we can to ensure that persons who are aggrieved by the actions of police, that they get justice,” said Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams.

“When it comes to cases involving police officers, we have to take it very seriously. We are the custodians of the law; and when we have people in our care, we must ensure that we do what we can, so as not to breach that trust and confidence. The actions of PC Marin are such that it is an egregious act of breach of trust and confidence. We must do as best that we can to demonstrate to the public that, while this had occurred, we will do our best to ensure that the officer is held to account for what he did,” he added.

Over the weekend, ComPol Williams had released a public statement concerning the issue, stating that they had received complaints from the detainee and had launched an internal and criminal investigation.

He then noted to local reporters that Marin had allegedly suggested to the detainee that she would be released if she had sexual relations with him, and he then released her from the holding cell and escorted her to the bathroom, where they had sexual relations. What took place in the bathroom was recorded by security cameras installed within the police station, and the accused claims that he removed her from the cell so that she could smoke a cigarette, which he got for her.

“We have seen some breakdowns in terms of our internal policies that will be addressed likewise,” ComPol Williams said. “She [the victim] was forthcoming, and we are very much appreciative of that. This is what we want, that whenever we do have these allegations, people can feel free to come forward so that we can address it. Oftentimes we hear people say the police this … the police that … but they are never willing to come forward and give statements. [So], to see that she was brave enough to do so, we’re grateful,” he added.

It is not known whether Marin has done something like this before, as ComPol Williams told reporters, “I was sitting there reading the statements, and I am blown away by the content of the statement. It makes me wonder if he has not done this before. It seems to be a tendency of his, and I don’t know, like I said, if he had done it before to anybody, and they did not report the matter.”

PC Marin was tasked with the cell-holding of prisoners; and at the time of the incident, he was the only officer working at the specific cell.

As mentioned earlier, Marin has been remanded to the Belize Central Prison, and is set to return to court on August 12.