Photo: Alex Underwood and Doris Grant
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 20, 2024
Tonight, two well-known figures, Doris Grant, 48, and her common-law husband, Austin Underwood, a 31-year-old car dealer, both residents of #7188 Reggae Street, are spending their first night on remand after they were escorted to court on a charge of being members of a gang.
The couple, who over the weekend came under fire after an outing at the TriniBad concert, and were shot, were brought to court shortly before noon today.
They appeared before a Magistrate in Court #5 after 12 this afternoon in the presence of their attorney, Rowell Gonzalez, where they were each read a single charge of being a member of a gang.
Allegations are that the duo are members of the SSG – South Side Gang, which is said to be engaged in committing serious offenses.
In court they both pleaded not guilty to the gang affiliated charge; however, Section 16-2 of the Summary Jurisdiction Offence Act, Chapter 99 of the Laws of Belize, denies the defendants the right to bail for this offence at the Magistrate Court level, and they must seek bail through the High Court.
With that, no bail could be offered by the sitting Magistrate of Court #5, who remanded them to the Belize Central Prison until July 31, 2024.
Attorney for the duo, Rowell Gonzalez asked permission to make submissions on behalf of the couple for the court to consider granting bail under special circumstances; but that was not entertained by the sitting Magistrate who informed him that he must seek bail for his clients through the High Court, as her hands are tied due to the law.
On Monday, May 20, 2024, Grant was read 14 counts of theft, 14 counts of obtaining property by deception, and 12 counts of obtaining money transfer by deception.
Allegations are that sometime between January 2022 and July 2022, she stole over $121,000.
On that occasion, there was no objection to bail by the Police Prosecutor who just asked for certain conditions to be placed on Grant, and her next court date was set for July 19, 2024.
For those charges she was offered bail in the sum of $50,000 plus one surety of the same amount or 2 sureties of $25,000 each.
Conditions to her bail were that she surrender her travel documents to the court; she cannot apply for any other travel documents; she is not to leave the country without the court’s permission; she is to report to the police station once a week effective Friday, May 24, 2024; and she must also stay away from all Prosecution witnesses.
When Grant was leaving the court today on her way to the Belize Central Prison where she and Underwood were to be remanded, upon exiting the front main door she said, “Sih how they chance people, police”.
The couple are due back in court on July 31, 2024.