Posted: Friday, March 14, 2025. 7:27 pm CST.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A daring broad daylight attempted robbery at Lina’s Shop in November 2022 has finally concluded in court, with three of the four accused men found guilty of multiple charges. However, one of them, Keenan Castillo, has skipped out on court since the trial concluded.
On Tuesday, March 11, Chief Magistrate Jayani Wegodapola found Nolbert Smith, Marquis Conorquie, and Keenan Castillo guilty of attempted robbery, as well as firearm and ammunition offenses. A fourth man, Tareef Westby, was acquitted after the court found insufficient evidence linking him to the crime.
The incident, which was captured on surveillance footage, unfolded around 11:00 a.m. on Mahogany Street. The video showed four men entering Lina’s Shop, with three of them—Smith, Conorquie, and Castillo—brandishing 9mm firearms and holding customers and employees at gunpoint. Westby, however, exited the store before the robbery attempt escalated, leaving on a bicycle.
During the failed robbery, a female employee managed to run outside, prompting Smith to chase after her. A nearby police officer, stationed at a precinct just a short distance away, saw Smith holding a gun and fired a warning shot, causing him to drop the firearm and flee back inside.
Police, who had been alerted of the robbery in progress, stormed the store and apprehended the three armed men. They later recovered multiple firearms, including those that had been hidden inside the shop. Despite their efforts, the robbers left empty-handed.
The prosecution, led by Inspector Dercene Staine, presented 10 witnesses and relied heavily on the surveillance footage, which proved crucial in convicting the three men. However, Castillo, one of the convicted robbers, has since disappeared and failed to appear in court for his sentencing.
Sentencing for Smith and Conorquie is scheduled for Monday, March 17, 2025. Castillo’s status remains uncertain, and the court will decide whether to sentence him in absentia. Smith and Conorquie, previously out on bail, are both now remanded for unrelated attempted murder and murder charges, respectively.
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The post Three men convicted in 2022 attempted robbery at Lina’s Shop; one still on the run appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Friday, March 14, 2025. 7:27 pm CST. By Breaking Belize News Staff: A daring broad daylight attempted robbery at Lina’s Shop in November 2022 has
The post Three men convicted in 2022 attempted robbery at Lina’s Shop; one still on the run appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
