Taxpayers to cover thousands after Government violates citizens’ rights

Published by [email protected] at May 18, 2025

Posted: Sunday, May 18, 2025. 11:27 am CST.

By Breaking Belize News Staff: The Belize High Court has issued a powerful rebuke of the government’s actions during the July 2020 State of Public Emergency (SOE), ruling that the detention of sixteen individuals was unconstitutional and carried out in violation of their fundamental rights. The decision, handed down by Justice Nadine Nabie, challenges the legality of detentions under Statutory Instrument 97 of 2020 and holds the state accountable for overreach during emergency conditions.

The claimants—among them Jahreem Staine, John and Sheldon Grinage, and Ervin Rhamdas—were detained by police under the SOE extension in the wake of rising crime. However, the court found that the detentions lacked judicial oversight, as required under Section 19(1)(c) of the Constitution, and violated the right to protection under the law (Section 3(a)).

Justice Nabie emphasized that while states of emergency may be declared for public safety, they do not grant the government unchecked power to detain individuals without proper legal safeguards. She noted the absence of justification for the two-month extension of the SOE and called out the state’s failure to follow due process.

As a result, the court awarded compensatory damages ranging from $12,000 to $25,000 based on the circumstances of each detention, with John Grinage receiving $12,000 and Ervin Rhamdas awarded $25,000. Each claimant was also granted $7,000 in vindicatory damages for the constitutional violations endured. The Attorney General has been ordered to cover all legal costs.

The ruling has immediate implications, especially as another SOE remains in effect for Belize and Cayo Districts. Dozens of men are still detained at the Belize Central Prison, raising questions about whether similar legal challenges could soon follow.

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