BELIZE CITY, Tues. Aug. 25, 2020– Yesterday, Corporal Elton Elijio, of the Dangriga police, who was charged with possession of a firearm while under the influence (of alcohol), and driving under the influence of alcohol, was remanded in the Magistrate’s Court until September 23.
Today, however, his attorney, Richard “Dickie” Bradley, was successful in his bail application before Justice Antoinette Moore, who granted him bail with certain conditions after property documents were presented on his behalf.
Elijio was then released from the Belize Central Prison.
Some of the conditions of the bail that was granted to Elijio are that he must not interfere with any prosecution witnesses; he must attend and sign in at the Belmopan Police Station weekly; he must not commit any offense or be charged for any other offenses while out on bail; and he must appear in court whenever his case is called.
Elijio was arrested on Saturday morning on the George Price Highway. ACP Joseph Myvett said that police were on patrol near the junction of Fabers Road with the George Price Highway when they saw a vehicle coming into the city from the direction of Hattieville.
They tried to stop the vehicle to conduct a routine search, but the driver refused to stop, and sped away towards the city.
Police, however, were able to overtake the vehicle, and they found that the driver was Corporal Elton Elijio. He was alone in the vehicle and was in possession of a 9mm pistol.
Myvett said that the gun is licensed to Elijio, but the license had expired and had not been renewed for some time now.
This is not the first time that Elijio is being charged for alcohol-related offenses. In Dangriga on April 4, 2020, Corporal Elijio was involved in a road traffic collision on the Stann Creek Valley Road that claimed the life of Giovanni Villafranco, 23, a student of Dangriga.
Elijio was charged with manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct, negligent grievous harm, and failure to provide a specimen.
Police said that Elijio drove onto the highway from a side road and did not clear traffic on the highway, and as a result his vehicle hit Villafranco, who was riding a motorcycle towards Dangriga.
Elijio was arraigned in the Dangriga Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded not guilty. He was granted bail of ten thousand dollars and was ordered to return to court on July 6, when there was another adjournment.
Jaheed Johnson was traveling with Villafranco on the motorcycle at the time when they were hit by Elijio. Both men were taken to the Southern Regional Hospital, where Villafranco was declared dead on arrival and Johnson was admitted in a critical condition with broken ribs, head injuries, and a broken jaw.
Johnson has since recovered.