COROZAL TOWN, Mon. Jan. 28, 2019– In November 2017, police arrested and charged three Mexican nationals with theft after they allegedly defrauded the Atlantic Bank by stealing money from the bank’s ATM machines. Police said that over $10,000 was stolen.

Two months later, in January, 2018, the trio was busted stealing money from the ATM in Corozal Town and they were charged with two counts of theft, after which they were remanded.

The three Mexicans are Belen Hernandez, 26; Joscan Jaffet Hernandez, 25; and Lionel Rodriguez, 31.

They were brought back to the Corozal Magistrate’s Court in January, 2018, on additional charges of theft.

Police said that Joscan and Belen Hernandez were both charged with two counts of theft for making two withdrawals from the Corozal ATMs, of an amount that totaled $1,200, and Rodriguez was charged with 5 counts of theft for making five fraudulent withdrawals of $200 — together totaling $1,000—  from the ATM of the Corozal branch of the Atlantic Bank.

Police said that they all pleaded not guilty, but bail was not offered, and they were further remanded to the Belize Central Prison.

The trial for the three Mexicans began on Monday and witnesses for the prosecution, including Wilfred Ferufino, who is the lead investigator for this case, have given statements.

Leslie Hamilton, the attorney for the accused Mexicans, made a no-case-to-answer submission on Friday, on the grounds that there was no evidence that linked his clients to the offences for which they were charged.

He said that there was no evidence that Atlantic Bank was the owner of the items stolen, including the   international bank cards and the pesos that were found at their apartment in Ladyville.

The prosecution will respond to the no-case submission today, Monday, after which the trial magistrate, Lionel Olivera, will  review the no-case submission, and he will deliver his judgment on Wednesday, January 30.