Tonight, 2 police officers attached to the San Ignacio Police Station are facing an extortion charge. That's after 53-year-old Guatemalan man accused them of shaking him down for money so that he wouldn't have to face traffic offences.
Those accused officers are 47-year-old Corporal Raymundo Carillo and 30-year-old constable Marlon Triminius.
Gregorio Cumes, a resident of the La Gracia Village in Cayo District, said that on Saturday morning, he was driving his motorcycle , saw the police, and drove into a yard and parked to avoid them. That's because he didn't have the motorbike's papers on him, but the officers followed him into the yard and asked for the papers.
He couldn't produce it and that's when the officers allegedly demanded $100 from him in exchange for his freedom, and no charges.
He reportedly told them that he could get the money on the following day, and so they agreed to meet on Sunday, when according to Cumes, the officers showed up at his house for the money.
He allegedly handed them two 50-dollar notes. They left, and Cumes immediately called the Valley of Peace police station to make a formal complaint. Based on the information received, San Ignacio cops intercepted the two officers and found them with two 50-dollar bills.
They were later identified as Officers Carillo and Triminius, and they were eventually charged with extortion.
Both men were arraigned today in the Belmopan Magistrate's Court, and our colleagues from Plus TV News got an interview with their attorney, Hurl Hamilton:
Hurl Hamilton - Attorney for Accused Cops
"They are both police officers attached to San Ignacio Police Formation. This morning, they arraigned on one single count, jointly for the charge of extortion. They were granted bail in the sum of $8,000, plus 2 sureties, and they're to return back to court on the 28th of October this year."
"The charge of extortion, as I understand it, is by the use of force or causing one to be put in fear, they have received monies unjustifiably, from my understanding of what the charge of extortion is. Clearly, my clients deny that allegation. Actually, it's the sum of $100 [that] the complainant is accusing both my clients of receiving from him, by way of demand and putting the virtual complainant in fear. We deny those allegations, of course."
"The allegations are very serious. It doesn't matter the quantity that is the allegation. The fact remains that it's a charge of extortion. It's a serious one. It has implications for their reputation. Clearly, when the matter comes up for trial - and I assume it's going to be an indictable matter, one at the Supreme Court, we're going to defend [against] it vigorously. And in the meantime, I want to think - I cannot speak for the police department. But, I would want to think that they would be placed on interdiction with half of their salary. Clearly, they are innocent until proven guilty. That is guaranteed by the constitution of Belize. They're not guilty. They're innocent until proven guilty, and we'll have our day in court, and we will defend the matter."
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