BELMOPAN, Belize, Police Commissioner Chester Williams says the police force will not shield any member involved in misconduct after three police officers appeared in a magistrate’s court late on Monday concerning the death of 25-year-old Andrew McDougal in December last year.
“It serves us no good to do so. Police officers are trained to preserve life, not to take life. We are trained to be civil to the people we serve, not to beat up on them. So, when police officer behaves in a matter they did with the McDougal matter; they ought to be held responsible,” Williams told reporters.
McDougal succumbed to injuries he sustained after being thrown into a police vehicle while detained on December 3. His mother, Desiree McDougall, said the police brutalized her son after they caught him smoking marijuana, and they are claiming he was disorderly.
As a result, police formally arrested and charged 29-year-old John Lucas and Jameel Lewis, 25, on charges of manslaughter, while 23-year-old Tessa Stuart was charged with perverting the course of justice.
All three officers appeared at the Independence Magistrates Court, where Stuart pleaded not guilty and was offered bail for BDZ$1,000 (One Belize dollar=US$0.49 cents). Lucas and Lewis did not enter a plea and were remanded into custody until March 27.
Williams speaking after the court appearance, said the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) had given the go-ahead to charge the police officers.
“We want to be as transparent as we can to show the public we are serious about our own when they step out of line,” Williams added.
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