A woman he recently picked up “was burning candle on him,” he told the magistrate
BELIZE CITY, Wed. Aug. 8, 2018– Edison Humes, a resident of Marage Road, Ladyville, charged with theft of a bicycle and damage to Government property, pleaded guilty to both charges when he appeared today before Magistrate Emmerson Banner.
He told Magistrate Banner that he was pleading guilty with an explanation, which was that he was the victim of obeah, and that a woman he recently picked up was “burning candle” on him.
Magistrate Banner asked him if he believed that the obeah would stop if he was sent to prison, and he said “no.” He begged Magistrate Banner to give him a fine instead of a custodial sentence because he would be able to pay, due to the fact that he cleans fish every day at the fish market at Conch Shell Bay.
Although his criminal record showed that he has previous convictions for both offences, which date back from 2010, Magistrate Banner decided to spare him a prison sentence. He fined Humes $750 for theft and $100 for damage to property, and he gave him until September 30 to pay. If he defaults on payment, he will serve 8 months in prison.
He also ordered Humes to pay $135 in compensation to the Government for the concrete wall at the holding cell at Ladyville Police Station that he damaged.
The incident for which he was charged occurred on Saturday, August 4. The owner of the bicycle he stole, a 14-year-old member of the Police Cadet Corps, reported to the police that at about 2:30 p.m. that day, she put her Nankon beach cruiser bicycle on the rack in the compound of Ladyville Police Station because she wanted to attend a party at the station.
She said that at about 7:00 p.m. after the party was over, she left her bicycle at the station because she was offered a ride home.
She said that when she went to the station the following day, her bicycle, which she said had a value of $289, was nowhere to be found. With the help of a surveillance camera, however, police were able to identify the thief.
As a result, on Monday, August 6, they arrested and charged Edison Humes with theft. While Humes was in the holding cell at the station, he kept banging on one of the cement walls and the wall collapsed.
Consequently, Humes was also charged with damage to property.
Humes said he was knocking on the concrete wall with his hand because he wanted police to bring water for him, and that the wall must have been a “counterfeit job” for it to have fallen.