7 News Belize

Couple Accuses Corporal of Assault
posted (December 30, 2009)

The Police Department and one of its officers is under fire tonight for alleged brutality. Mechanic Fernando Searle, known as Nando, and his girlfriend Tanya Pitts told us today that twice last week they were attacked by Police Corporal Mark August with a metal pipe. The first alleged attack was on Christmas Eve. Searle explained to us that Cpl. August became irate after a car stereo was stolen out of his vehicle while it was parked in his yard at mile one and a half on the Northern Highway.

Fernando Searle, Alleged Beating Victim
“When he came to pick up his vehicle he beat me up with a wheel spanner and broke my hand and I just barely got away and he wants to find me with his gun to shoot me and kill me. He told me he would kill me if he ever met me again. He is a policeman. That was on the 24th night and he slapped my girlfriend here.”

Tanya Pitts, Alleged Beating Victim
“Mr. August came out and looked at me and told me I know where his stuff is and he slapped across the face and I get away and run to call the police. But on the 26th he came back and he was in the vehicle waiting, he was already in the yard and when he came back and he took me to the back and whapped me on the right side of my foot with a pipe and stomped me which made me end up in the hospital. I just came out and I have a very internal bleeding. He says he will kill one of we.”

Fernando Searle,
“He says he will kill me and so I have been in hiding since. He broke my hand with a wheel spanner and my foot is all messed up. So I want all Belize people to help try and do something about this man. I went to internal affairs and I hope they help me but I want Belize people to know what kind of police they have out there.”

The couple left the city today and are tonight in hiding. They did however make a complaint which the Commander of Eastern Division – Assistant Commissioner David Henderson says his office has received. He says it is being handled by Internal Affairs. Corporal August, who is attached to the Patrol Branch, is still on duty pending the outcome of the investigation. It is important to note that only in the second alleged attack was Cpl. August alleged to have been wearing a uniform.

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