Convicted Police Inspector’s bid for freedom denied; will bid to High Court to avoid lengthy jail term

Published by BBNTEAM at November 6, 2024

Posted: Wednesday, November 6, 2024. 8:56 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: Inspector Christopher Martinez, a convicted police officer, has been denied a motion for a stay of execution on his sentence, meaning he will remain behind bars while awaiting appeal.

On September 12, Inspector Martinez was sentenced to five months in prison after pleading guilty to wounding businessman Aaron Flowers. The conviction stems from an incident in 2022 when Martinez was accused of entering a cell block at the Ladyville Police Station and assaulting Flowers with a padlock, which resulted in a serious wound.

Attorney Senior Counsel Hubert Elrington, representing Martinez, revealed that the denial came on November 1, before Chief Magistrate Jayani Wegodapola at the Belize City Magistrate’s Court. Elrington expressed frustration, stating that the court’s decision complicates matters for his client, as the appellate process could take substantial time. “With this denial, Inspector Martinez will remain imprisoned while we await a date for his appeal,” Elrington explained.

Martinez has already served one month, three weeks, and three days of his five-month sentence, leaving over three months still to serve. Elrington is looking to escalate the matter to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to address what he argues is a violation of Martinez’s constitutional rights for a fair trial within a reasonable timeframe. “If the appeal is delayed too long, the essence of his rights will be infringed upon,” he added.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315.