Photo: (l-r) Raheem Budram and Kareem Eaghan, Jr.,
both sentenced to life in prison. Shane Budram, deceased.
BELIZE CITY, Tues. Dec. 6, 2022
Raheem Budram and Kareem Eaghan, Jr., the two young men convicted of the murder of Shane Budram, Raheem’s uncle, were each sentenced to 40 years in prison on Monday in the courtroom of Justice Ricardo O’Neil Sandcroft. The two men, both 21 years old now, will have to serve 37 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
On a Friday night in February 2020, Shane Budram was pursued by Eaghan and shot a number of times before he collapsed in front of the doorway of his home on Wagner’s Lane. The shooting occurred after an extended argument between Shane Budram, and his nephew, Raheem Budram, which reportedly took place at the intersection of Simmons Alley and Wagner’s Lane and reached a violent peak when the younger Budram instructed Eaghan to shoot his uncle.
After the initial shots, Budram reportedly began running from his assailant and heading in the direction of his home, which lies closer to Berkeley Street. As he was running, he was shot several more times. When he reached his home, he reportedly collapsed and died at his doorway. There were several persons in the area who witnessed the fatal shooting.
Because of statements provided by those eyewitnesses, Judge Sandcroft disregarded the alibis offered to the court by Raheem Budram and Kareem Eaghan, Jr., who claimed that they were not at the scene of the crime.
According to a 2020 AMANDALA article, “Budram had had a number of run-ins with the law, but from all accounts, he was turning his life around, devoting himself to his family and trying to be a good role model for the young men growing up in the Wagner’s Lane area ….”
That article had also reported that before Raheem Budram handed himself in, he had posted a photograph of himself and his deceased uncle, Shane Budram, along with the following comment: “One love, mein uncle. I will miss you, mein, you taught me everything I know. You will always be my general. It hurt me yuh gone, mein, but yow, such is life, mein. Love yoh, mein. Life goes on Dan man!”
There is no indication at this time if the men will appeal the sentence.