Tonight, the 30-year-old John Grinage, and his brother, 28-year-old Sheldon Grinage are freed of a murder charge after being on remand at the Belize Central Prison for over 3 and a half years. The DPP's Office has decided to discontinue the prosecution against them for the 2016 murder of 32-year-old Mariano Castillo.
In January of 2016, Castillo was stabbed to death when he was walking on Police Street. The Grinage brothers and another man allegedly attacked Castillo and fatally stabbed him with a kitchen knife. That injury quickly claimed his life.
The Grinage brothers were jointly charged with murder on the strength of a caution statement that Castillo's girlfriend gave to them. She told police that her ex-boyfriend, John, his brother Sheldon and another man approached her and Castillo on Police Street that night. She said that she saw John pull a kitchen knife from his pants and allegedly stabbed Castillo.
Both John and Sheldon Grinage stood trial in the Supreme Court. When Crown Counsel Portia Ferguson called this girlfriend to testify against the Grinage brothers, she took the stand and told the court that she does not remember what occurred that night. The prosecution's case encountered another big challenge because they could not locate another key witness.
When the case resumed today, Crown Counsel Ferguson indicated to the court that the DPP's Office has decided to enter a "nolle pros" against both accused men.
After explaining to the Grinage brothers what that meant, they were free to leave.
Email
Print