Steve Perrera, he was a colourful personality that flashed briefly
across the political radar when he offered himself as independent candidate
for the City Council election in 2003. Since then Perrera has returned to private
life and his business. But tonight his name is back in the news and that’s
because he’s the victim of a brutal crime. Jacqueline Godwin found out
why he’s happy to be alive.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
Fifty six year old Estevan Perrera is lucky to be alive after he was stabbed,
beaten and then knocked unconscious. The well known Belize City businessman
and former independent politician was tortured for some forty five minutes inside
his family residence. Perrera says it all started with a knock on the front
door. He said because his wife had left the house on an errand he thought maybe
she had returned instead he first saw a smart looking young man standing outside
who he believed had come by to rent one of his vehicles.
Estevan Perrera, Victim
“I opened the door and when I opened the door I saw this young man
in front of me. He was a well dressed fellow, young, I recognized him –
if I see him again on the street I will recognize him. But when I saw him I
put my hand into my pocket because I said just in case this guy comes after
me. And when I did that the guy walked backwards, he went outside which, if
I was thinking straight at the time, I would have backed up, went inside my
house and locked my door but I didn’t. Because of the way he was dressed,
a nice looking guy, I mean well built, I said maybe he wanted to talk to me
or something.
I lost that mistrust and I don’t how it happened but it did and then 
I walked towards the bar but then when I looked sideways I saw another coloured
guy standing there. That is when I realized that trouble but before I could
react, this guy jumped and grabbed the bar so I couldn’t close it and
then the other guy came and helped him to pull the bar from me, opened the door,
and so I left the bar and I dashed inside the house.”
Then men caught up with Perrera inside his kitchen and it was there he was
viciously attacked as they demanded money.
Estevan Perrera,
“And then they strangled me against the wall with my neck, holding
me up here and they were beating me and I was fighting back. But eventually
they got to overpower me and they put me on the ground and then they said put
your hands behind your back. So I put my hand behind my back and then they tied
me up. All this while now I knew that well my kids and my wife should be coming
any minute. So I told them my life and children would be coming and I did that
to frighten them, hoping they would take what they want to take and disappear
and go. But apparently they weren’t worrying about that.
They just banged my head against the floor and then the other guy was asking
me if I had money on me and I don’t keep money on me. I don’t have
no money. I guess he searched my wallet and if he is looking right now, I am
also sure he searched my wallet because I think I had four or six dollars in
my wallet and they went with it. And the guy, because I didn’t tell him
where I had the money he stabbed me in hand here because he said to tell me
where it is. I told him I don’t have any money. When he stabbed me I felt
the pain and I started losing blood.
If this is so crazy just to stab my hand, this fellow would do anything.
So I laid slowly, I didn’t move or I didn’t do anything and I heard
him talking to the other guy about searching the room, searching my rooms to
look for money and things and he asked him if you found anything and the guy
said I haven’t found nothing. So then I told him I don’t have anything.
But I am giving time, hoping that’s somebody comes home.
This took place about 45 minutes, this whole ordeal was about 45 minutes
and then that is when I heard a vehicle driving up and that is when I got scared
because I said geez it could be my wife or it could be my son coming home with
my little boy. And if they come in this house, they will hold them up too with
knife and they might hurt them and I said that can’t happen, that will
not happen.
That is when I turned on my back, although the guy was on top of me, and
telling me don’t you turn because I am going to juk you. I didn’t
care if he juked, that was his problem. I had to reach the window to shout for
my wife or my child. Then I turned over on my back and I kicked him in his stomach 
and when I kicked him in his stomach he landed up against my washing machine
and then I got up because I had already loosed my hand and then I pushed myself
up but I was bleeding badly. So I was kind of weak but then I ran to the window.”
Eneida Perrera arrived home but she saw two bicycles at the bottom of the stairs.
Sensing danger she called out her husband’s name.
Eneida Perera, Wife
“When I came an hour after I left my house I saw two bicycles at the
foot of my steps. As I saw that two bicycles I knew thieves were in my house,
automatically. So I did not come out of my vehicle. I shouted for my husband
because I knew he was at home. So I said, ‘Steve Steve.’ I shouted
very loud and when I shouted I heard my husband shouted back to me, ‘help
me help me please, call the police.’ Then I realized my husband was in
trouble. I was very nervous at the time. I just reversed out of the yard because
I said let me hurry reverse and call the police.”
Estevan Perrera,
“Because I stop and did that the guy caught up with me and when he
caught up with me he grabbed me and all I can remember is I was struggling with
him again cause he had a knife in his hand and so I hold his hand with the knife
for him not to hurt me and I remember he threw me on the ground, because he
threw his weight on top of me, and I was holding him and that is about all I
can remember.”
That is because Estevan Perrera was hit in the back of the head with a horse
ornament just like this one and he fell unconscious. The two men then left with
little cash but items valued at five thousand dollars.
Eneida Perera,
“We saw the big pool of blood in the kitchen where my husband was
stabbed and cut on his nose. I saw blood in my living room where my husband
ran to the window to try to warn me not to come in.”
Estevan Perrera says crime has gotten out of hand and nothing is being done
stop the violence.
Estevan Perrera,
“I think every person out there who works for a living is in danger.
They don’t care who they hurt. They are simple looking just for a easy
way of life. They just want to steal and every time they get away, they get
a little braver. We should have hanging Jackie, not just to hang anybody but
if we catch the culprit, if we know they did it, if we know for certain they
are guilty I don’t see no reason why they should not hang them.”
Perrera no doubt has been left traumatised by the terror he experienced and
he says it has destroyed his ability to trust anyone anymore.
Estevan Perrera,
“All I can say though is that they have changed me. They have really
changed me. I am not the same person that I used to be because now it is like
I don’t have love for nobody. I have love for myself now. If I see anybody
inside my yard or anywhere around my vehicle, I just hope and pray I don’t
do nothing crazy.”
As a result of the home invasion and attack on Estevan Perrea people who reside
in the area plan to establish a neighbourhood watch. Jacqueline Godwin reporting
for 7News.
So far Belize City Police have no leads on the case. Interestingly,
there was another report of a home invasion in the city this weekend where a
maid told police she was tied up by armed men who stole her boss’s jewellery.
Turns out, it was a false report, and police have recovered some of the jewellery
from persons associated with her. Reports are that she has been detained and
is expected to be charged later this week.
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