Photo: Ada Ethel Toro
BELIZE CITY, Wed. Feb. 21, 2024
A woman accused of using Minister Cordel Hyde’s Facebook page has been charged criminally with two counts of obtaining property by deception from another woman whom she reportedly swindled out of $500 in cash.
Accused of the offense is 37-year-old Ada Ethel Toro, a food vendor of Seaweed Street, San Pedro.
This morning, Toro was brought on the prison van to court, where she hid her face but said, “I am innocent”.
She later appeared unrepresented before a Senior Magistrate in Court #2, where she was read two counts of obtaining property by deception. Allegations are that on February 12 and February 13, 2024, by deception she obtained the sums of $300 and $200 cash from Natalie Gotoy, a Belizean unemployed of #8 Hibiscus Street, Belize City. Gotoy claimed that she paid into an account belonging to Ada Toro, 2 payments totaling $500 for assistance in acquiring a booth on Mahogany Street to conduct business.
Gotoy said that after she got a response from the person pretending to be Minister Hyde to make the deposit, she found out that it was not the Minister, and so she reported the matter and requested court action.
In court at her arraignment, Toro pleaded not guilty to both charges. However, that’s when the sitting Senior Magistrate noticed who the virtual complainant (v/c) was, and realized that she was related to the v/c, and so she noted in court that she would not be sitting in on the case; she would just arraign Toro and have the matter be assigned to another court.
There was no objection to her being granted bail, and so the Senior Magistrate of Court #2 offered her bail in the sum of $1,000 plus one surety of the same amount, which she met.
Toro’s next court date was set for April 22, and the magistrate reminded her that the matter will be transferred to another court, so that when she returns she will go before a different magistrate.
By 12:00 noon Toro had met bail, but she could not go free, as CIB personnel were right outside the court waiting for her. She was detained again and escorted back into custody at the Queen Street Police Station where further charges are expected to be levied against her, as more victims of her alleged scam have surfaced and have made reports against her.
According to the police report made by the first alleged victim, Natalie Gotoy, on February 14, 2024, Gotoy visited the Mahogany Police Station and made a report that at around 9:30 a.m., she went on a Facebook page in the name of Cordel Hyde, and also showing up was a picture of Minister Hyde, whereby she sent a message vía Messenger requesting assistance in acquiring a booth on Mahogany Street to conduct her business.
On Monday, February 12, 2024, Gotoy said she received a response from someone whom she believed was Hon. Minister Cordel Hyde. She was instructed to make a deposit of $500 to an account #0211930142 at Atlantic Bank in the name Ada Ethel Toro, which she made in two separate deposits.
According to Gotoy, her first deposit was made on Monday, February 12, at 11:29:36 over the counter to account #0211930142 in the name of Ada Ethel Toro for the sum of $300, and then her second payment of $200 she made the following day, Tuesday, February 13, at 14:37:07 to the same account in the same name.
However, on Wednesday, February 14, Valentine’s Day, Gotoy said she discovered that the person she was chatting with and whom she had sent money to was not the Minister; and she visited the Mahogany Police Station and made an official report requesting court action.
That report led police to launch an investigation into the matter.
That investigation was headed by Sgt.#536, Joel Grinage, who recorded a statement from the Hon. Minister Cordel Hyde.
According to the police report, in his statement Min. Hyde made it clear that he gave no such authorization for any business to be conducted on his behalf, nor did Toro work for his Ministry.
Furthermore, according to the police report, Minister Hyde said that he never gave Toro permission to use his picture on any Facebook page.
During the police investigation, copies of bank receipts were obtained for the deposits that were made into Toro’s account, as well as copies of the receipt was obtained for the sum of $300 which was withdrawn from the account by Toro on Thursday, February 15, 2024.
As a result of Sgt. Grinage’s investigation, a warrant for the arrest of Toro was issued, whereupon the police say that Toro handed in herself to police at the Racoon Street Police Station.
During the investigation, police say that when she was cautioned prior to being read her charges, that’s when Toro handed over copies of a receipt for the bank withdrawal from Atlantic Bank in the name of Ada Toro and the above-mentioned account # belonging to her.
Police say that Toro also handed over a money transfer for a Money Gram where she told them she had sent money overseas.
Police also say that after Toro was cautioned before being charged with the two offenses, that’s when she told an officer, “Please help me. I never know I would get in so much trouble.”