7 News Belize

Man Claims Cops Tortured Him With Hot Water
posted (February 3, 2020)

On week Friday's news, we told you about the allegation of police abuse by the Belize City family of Francis Nolberto. According to them, he was detained by police, and while he was in their custody, an officer threw hot water on him and scalded his face and chest. 

He was allegedly picked up by police for questioning on Friday about a stolen cellular phone, and while he was at Mahogany Street Station, an officer maliciously threw the scalding hot water on him.

It's a disturbing allegation of abuse, and this morning, we got a chance to speak with Nolberto who has since been released from custody without charge. 

Here's what he had to say about the incident:

Francis Nolberto - Claims Police Abuse
"Thursday night, I was coming home. Two officers on a cycle approached me and handcuffed me, and told me that I was detained for a robbery. I had no problem with them handcuffing me. They put me on the ground, kicked me up in my face several times. The next minute, they went for a trooper. When the trooper came, they stopped. It's like God just made them stop at my lane so that I could tell someone that they were taking me. When I shouted for my auntie and told her that they were taking me, one of them said that they were gonna kill me. So, they took me to Mahogany Street Police Station. When (Please beep out the name) came in, (Please beep out the name) asked me, what I was doing there. I told him that those men just brought me here for something I didn't even know about. The man said that he would tell me right now what they brought me for. The man went to the hot and cold (water), and he got 3 cups of hot water, and the man just threw it all over me."

Reporter
"So, right now your mouth, right here, that's part of the scalding?"

Francis Nolberto
"That's part of everything."

Reporter
"That's where the hot water burned you."

Francis Nolberto
"Yeah. When they were done from there, it looks like they took me to the hospital because when I got up, I got up at the hospital the next morning. It looks like the doctor told me that he put a cream on me to stop the burning from affecting my entire body. After that, they took me to the station. They left me there. Sleep there again they released me on Saturday morning in the rain because they don't have anything on me."

Reporter
"Have you ever encountered this officer before?"

Francis Nolberto
"Never like that. He would just pass through when he passed. All he did was he told me that he doesn't like any of us. I don't know what he means that he doesn't like any of us."

Reporter
"Maybe the man thinks you're in some sort of gang or something like that."

Francis Nolberto
"I don't know what he thinks. That's how he must want to put it."

Nolberto tells us that he is worried that if he tries to press a case of police brutality against the officer, other officers will start to target and harass him. He says that he has tried to get in touch with Police Commissioner Chester Williams to address his complaint. Police declined comment. 

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