Photo: Ikwan Reneau, charged

The girl told police she was forced into an abandoned house by four males, but that only three of them raped her!

by Anita Nembhard-Flowers

BELIZE CITY, Fri. Jan. 12, 2024

Two city youths, one 18 years old and the other 16 (a minor), are being accused of raping a 14-year-old high school girl near the river side in the Saint Martin De Porres area on Monday, January 8, 2024 inside an abandoned house.

After intense police investigation, followed by the apprehension of the suspects, who remained in custody for three nights, police have charged two of the persons believed to be involved in the rape.

They have been identified as 18-year-old Ikwan Reneau, an unemployed resident of #20 Lizarraga Avenue, and a 16-year-old student.

The arraignment stretched on throughout the day today, as deliberations took place on whether bail should be granted to the two accused persons.

In the end, Senior Magistrate of Court #3 denied bail to Reneau and he was remanded to the Belize Central Prison. The minor’s case for bail consideration was adjourned for Wednesday, January 17, 2024, and he was remanded to the Wagner’s Youth Facility in the interim.

The Senior Magistrate has tasked the Community Rehabilitation Department to find out first what security measures are in place at the school which the victim attends to ensure her safety, since the Crown had raised the issue of the safety of the girl, who attends a school on the Northside of Belize City, and who has to come in contact with the 16-year-old minor accused of raping her, due to the proximity between them during school hours, since the school she attends is located near to the accused minor’s school.

And so, this morning, first to be arraigned was the 16-year-old minor, who saw the charge of rape of a child read to him in the presence of his mother and his attorneys, Norman Rodriguez and Andrew Bennett.

The allegations are that on Monday, January 8, 2024, the 16-year-old minor raped the girl, who is 14 years 10 months old, by putting his private part into her mouth.

Second to be arraigned was Reneau.

Reneau, however, who like the 16-year-old has been charged with rape of a child, is accused of putting his private part into the victim’s vagina.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Sharmaine Gillett, objected to bail being granted to the duo on the grounds that Section 16 of the Crime Control & Criminal Act makes reference to victims under the age of 16 in outlining offenses for which bail is not to be granted and that rape of a child is equivalent to carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16. She also asked the court to take into consideration the Criminal Code Section 73, where it speaks of evidence of rape and that just the least degree of penetration is required.

Attorney for the two accused teens, Norman Rodriguez submitted that his interpretation of the law is that rape is not included as one of those crimes for which no bail can be granted, and so he asked the court to consider granting bail to the minor and Reneau.

The matter was “stood down” until 2:00 p.m., at which point the court wanted to seek confirmation from the mother of the minor that her son was enrolled in a school that is located near to the school which the victim attends.

And so the Senior Magistrate of Court #3 stood down the matter until 2:00 p.m. for bail consideration.

At 2:00 p.m., the Senior Magistrate noted that, while rape is indeed not one of those offenses listed in Section 16 for which she would not be able to grant bail, the primary concern was the safety of the victim, and in balancing that she also looked at the minor, 16, whom she did not want to deprive of the liberty to attend school, so she adjourned the matter for Wednesday, January 17, 2024, for bail consideration for the minor only, as bail was denied today for Reneau, the adult.

The case against the minor and Reneau is set to continue in court on March 12, 2024.

Reneau’s attorney, Norman Rodriguez will be making an application for bail on his behalf as early as next week.

According to a police report, on Monday, January 8, 2024 at about 9:50 p.m., the victim, 14, accompanied by her mother, visited the Precinct 2 CIB office and reported that earlier that night at about 8:50 p.m., she had been riding her bicycle on Oleander Street, in Belize City, when she was approached by four male persons who stopped her and forced her into an abandoned house, where three of the male persons had sexual intercourse with her against her will.