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Police Catch Alleged Killers In North
posted (March 27, 2013)
On last night's newscast, we told you about the progress police's investigation into the killing of 37 year-old Israel Matu, the resident of Patchakan Village whose body was found in a cane field off the road leading to his village.

Well, tonight, 2 men from Chan Chen Village are now charged with his murder; they are 35 year-old Venancio Williams, and 33 year-old Arturo Keme. They remain in custody while awaiting an arraignment, but police formally charged them yesterday.

Today at the police press conference, the officer commanding Corozal Police told the media what he observed as an investigator:

Superintendent Andrew Ramirez - OC, Corozal Police
"I personally had visited the scene on Sunday evening, where I saw the male individual nude. He had an injury to the left eye; an apparently bulged big, made me to believe he was hit. The investigation continues, and it shows that he was at a bar in Chan Chen village Friday night at 10:30 p.m. thereabouts. So within 10:30 p.m. to Sunday afternoon when we receive the information about a person in the cane field, that is where we are in the investigation. We had 2 persons in custody who have been charged for murder."

So, while police have closed that investigation, as well as the kidnapping case, the matter of the officers whose names are being called in relation to a rape in a village near San Ignacio is at a standstill. That's because, according to police, the alleged victim has gone back to the police station requesting no further court action.

As we reported, the woman claimed that on Saturday when the officers responded to a domestic dispute, they took her in a car separate from her husband which is when they allegedly raped her.

She had been drinking and couldn't remember where they took her, but she was injured and said that the officers took advantage of her in her inebriated state.

Well, the report has not gone unnoticed by the Commissioner of Police, and he told the media today that even though the woman is reluctant to assist in the prosecution, they are still treating the matter very seriously.

Here's what he had to say:

Allen Whylie - Commissioner of Police
"Such a report was indeed made to the police. There is the criminal investigation being done, and there's also the internal investigation being done. Those 2 officers have been re-assigned away from that area and they are at Belmopan. I won't say the unit that they are with, but they are police officers. It's a very serious complaint made, we are addressing it. The victim has indicated since making her original complaint that she does not want to pursue the matter. I dispatched a senior officer to speak to her because a situation of this nature, we cannot allow to go unpunished and I have since learnt that the victim is prepared to proceed with disciplinary charges. Despite that, the file will be completed, it will be sent to the DPP for her advice, and that officer - because I think the investigation is showing only one police to have been involved - I have already given instructions that this officer will go on disciplinary charges, and he will be immediately interdicted from duty pending the outcome."

And in relation to the Guatemalan, 22 year old Walter Leonel Boteo Ralda, who escaped from police last week, the Commissioner says that the officers who are suspected of negligence on the job will also be dealt with:

Allen Whylie
"The prisoner escaped, and again the investigation was launched. The officer who has been negligent has been identified and I had also directed that officer to be brought up on disciplinary charges. And the border authorities were alerted; whilst we suspect that that person may have crossed the border, we are working with our counterparts to see if we can indicate or locate where he is and hopefully we - they cooperated with us in getting him back."

And while we're on the topic of men who escaped from police, we also asked the Commissioner about 38 year-old Abbas Khan who escaped from Corozal Police 3 weeks ago. He told us that disciplinary charges are also pending for the officers he escaped from:

Allen Whylie
"Again Mr. Abbas Khan, an investigation was done in that regards. It showed negligence on the part of 3 police officers. Those 3 officers again have been placed on disciplinary charge as the Regional Commander can testify to. I believe one of those officers has pleaded guilty and the 2 others have not pleaded guilty. Those matters are before and adjudicator, so that matter has been dealt with. Again Mr. Khan we have not located him but we've been reliably informed that he is in Chetumal. The Commander has spoken to his Mexican counterparts to assist us. We don't know exactly where he is, or his status but we do know that he is a Belizean. So I don't know how long Belizean are allowed to stay over at Chetumal without stamping in or whatever; I don't know."

The three officers charged are Roxanne Lewis, Coporal Uck, and Constable Cacho.

Abbas Khan has a committal warrant on another matter pending for him in Belize.

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