_{Photo: Alifa Elrington, Prosecutor}

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Aug. 22, 2024

The Bladen 12 case resumed earlier this week at the Charles Bartlett Hyde Building in Belize City after a number of previous adjournments.

The infamous “Bladen 12” consists of three law enforcement officers and a member of a Mennonite community, along with eight others who are accused of being involved in the landing of a drug plane in November 2021 in the Bladen Reserve area.

While the trial was underway on Tuesday, August 20, the prosecution called one witness, a police corporal who was a part of the police detail on the night the men were arrested; and he had to be taken to the locus – the area where the events took place – to identify it.

“There was particular evidence given during the testimony of our witness, and based on that evidence I felt it was important and relevant to the voir dire that we visit the locus. Because we are going to visit the locus, and we must always be fair to the accused persons. What is required, or what the prosecution must establish, is that the locus has not changed from the date of the incident. So that is what would have transpired,” said prosecutor Alifa Elrington.

She added that after the evidence is presented, the defendants must open their case.

“So, once the defense completes their case, then the magistrate will decide after we have made submissions, and I think today we agreed that submissions would be made; well, Mr. Banner would have preferred submissions to be oral, so we’re just waiting on the court to determine whether or not it’s going to be written submissions or oral submissions, at the close of the defense’ case,” Elrington mentioned.

Magistrate Baja Shoman presided over the hearing. The attorneys for the accused are Lindon Jones, Leroy Banner, and Dickie Bradley, who were not in court today.

The case is to resume in September.