This morning shortly before 11:00, police officers, constables Darius Ramos, 46, and Anthony Polonio, 45, both on interdiction as of Friday, October 26, were arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on charges of perjury and contradicting previous evidence in the case of Chay Ben Abou-Nehra, who, because of the men changing their testimonies, walked out of the Supreme Court on Wednesday evening, October 24, a free man.
The men appeared in Court #1 in front of Chief Magistrate Margaret Gabb-McKenzie, where no pleas were taken, as the offenses are indictable. The prosecutor, Ludwig Castillo, did not object to bail, and the men were granted bail of $6,000 each plus one surety of the same, or two sureties of $3,000 each, which they met.
According to a prosecutor with the DPP’s office, there won’t be any charges levied against the Inspector, Clement Cacho, as per the DPP’s directives to the Commissioner of Police.
Late Friday afternoon, PC Ramos and Polonio appeared in front of a police tribunal, where they were disciplined for changing their testimonies, contrary to the 2005 statement they had given on record regarding the Chay Ben Abou-Nehra case.
Both men were also charged with prejudice to good order, and bringing the Belize Police Department into disrepute, said a police press release dated Friday, October 26.
Both men pleaded not guilty to the offense, said police, and the matter was adjourned for a further date.
Inspector Cacho, for his part, was demoted to sergeant. At the time of his demotion, Cacho was an acting inspector who would have been promoted to that position within a period of three months, said a police source.
Cacho was scheduled to be brought in front of the tribunal this afternoon at 2:00 p.m.
In court the two officers, PC Ramos and Polonio, were represented by attorney Simeon Sampson. Their case was adjourned for December 17.