BELIZE CITY, Tues. Nov. 28, 2017–On Thursday, December 7, Justice Adolph Lucas is expected to give his verdict regarding a charge against Inmas Espinal, 20, for the attempted murder of Jose Antonio Saravia, a naturalized Belizean, originally from El Salvador.

The trial, which was without a jury, began on November 3. The incident for which Espinal was charged, occurred between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on March 15, 2012. Saravia testified that he was walking on Rose Cousin Street and when he reached in front of Espinal’s house, Espinal came out of his house and stabbed him once in his abdomen with a knife.

Saravia was cross-examined for 14 days by Espinal’s attorney, Hubert Elrington. During the cross-examination, Saravia told Elrington that he was only stabbed once. But Dr. Emmerson Munguia, who examined Saravia, testified that there were two stab wounds.

Espinal testified and admitted that he stabbed Saravia, but said that it was a case of self-defense. He said he was coming from Caanan High School, where he was a second form student, when he was attacked by Saravia, who had a glass Coca-Cola bottle in his hand. He said Saravia feinted a blow to his head with the bottle, and when he ducked, Saravia struck him in the back of his head with the bottle.