_{Photo: Christopher Martinez, convicted}

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Sept. 16, 2024

Police Inspector Christopher Martinez has begun serving a 5-month prison sentence after being convicted of wounding 29-year-old Aaron Flowers over a year ago while he was in police custody.

At the time of the incident, Flowers was being detained for questioning at the Ladyville Police Station in connection with a shooting which had occurred at Martinez’s home a month earlier.

While Flowers was in police detention, Martinez, who accused Flowers of being responsible for the shooting of his home, entered the holding cell and began to beat him with a metal handcuff to the head. Flowers was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for treatment while Martinez exited the station.

Flowers was never charged for the crime of which he was accused.

After a 14-month trial, Martinez pleaded guilty to the crime of wounding. When Martinez appeared in court on Friday, September 13, he apologized to Flowers and begged the court for mercy; and his attorney Simeon Sampson did so as well, including asking that he not be given a custodial sentence.

Chief Magistrate Jayani Wegadapola considered the maximum prison sentence for the crime, which is one year; however, since Martinez had not committed any prior offenses, and had submitted a guilty plea, he decided to give him a 5-month sentence.

“I am satisfied. This is showing you, even if you are the smallest man in Belize, and once you have a little faith, and you push and don’t give up, or you don’t take a dollar more, justice will be served,” said Flowers.

Of note, Martinez is a career police officer, and is the nephew of the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams. Flowers has claimed that attempts were made multiple times by other officers to intimidate him so that the case could be dropped.

“I went to report at the Raccoon Street police station, and when they took me there, the police came to me, in the station, and offered me $5,000. I made a report and nothing came out of it … I am at my business in Corozal, and when I go out and come back from Chetumal, they lock me down. When they lock me down, they tell me the thing could go two ways: either I drop it against Martinez, or feel the pinch. They say, ‘Remember, you cannot win;’ and it’s true. Do you know how many people are at jail right now that police planted a bullet on? You never know what will be the outcome. Look at me; right now certain police are not happy with me,” he proclaimed.