Three Belize City men remanded following failed armed robbery on Freetown Road

Published by [email protected] at August 8, 2024

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Posted: Thursday, August 8, 2024. 9:45 pm CST.

By Breaking Belize News Staff: Three men from the south side of Belize City are behind bars after being charged in connection with a botched armed robbery that left one of their accomplices dead. The group, facing serious charges, is currently awaiting possible bail applications at the High Court.

The trio was escorted to the Belize City Magistrate Court on Thursday where they faced separate charges.

First to be arraigned were 24-year-old Malique Chavez, a call center agent, and 19-year-old Leroy Anthony Garoy. Both men were charged with aggravated burglary. The prosecution alleges that the duo entered the home of businessman Michael Cambranes on Freetown Road as trespassers, armed with a firearm, and stole a gold bracelet valued at $3,600 and a Samsung Galaxy cellphone worth $350. The total value of the stolen items was $3,950. The pair pleaded not guilty, but due to the severity of the charges under the Firearms Act, they were denied bail and remanded to the Belize Central Prison until September 23, 2024.

The third suspect, 45-year-old taxi driver Harvey Sambula, was charged with abetment to commit aggravated burglary. Sambula is accused of aiding Chavez and Garoy in the commission of the crime on August 6, 2024. The prosecution objected to bail for Sambula, arguing that the serious nature of the offense and the potential for witness interference warranted his detention. Despite Sambula’s claims that he was merely performing his duties as a taxi driver and would not tamper with the case, the Magistrate denied his bail request, citing the gravity of the charges. Sambula was also remanded to the Belize Central Prison alongside Chavez and Garoy.

The incident that led to these charges occurred on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, around 11:39 a.m., at Casa Churros & Mini Café on Freetown Road. According to reports, three men approached Cambranes as he was opening his business, with one pointing a chrome 9mm firearm at him. The men demanded money, and when Cambranes said he had none, they forced him upstairs at gunpoint. A struggle ensued, during which Cambranes managed to disarm the gunman and, in fear for his life, fired shots at the man, killing him.

The other two suspects fled the scene with the stolen bracelet, cellphone, and car keys, escaping in a green Toyota Camry taxi. Police later intercepted the vehicle at the corner of Victoria Street and New Road, apprehending Sambula, Chavez, and Garoy. A search revealed Cambranes’ gold bracelet in Garoy’s possession and his cellphone with Chavez.

The trio is scheduled to reappear in court on September 23, 2024. Notably, Leroy Garoy is the younger brother of the robber who was shot and killed during the incident.

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