Posted: Tuesday, March 25, 2025. 6:27 pm CST.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Six northern fishermen accused of drug possession remain behind bars after their bail hearing was postponed on Tuesday in the High Court. The men, who were allegedly caught in Orange Walk with over a kilogram of cocaine, must wait until their rescheduled hearings on March 28 and March 31, 2025, before Justice Nigel Pilgrim.
The adjournment was necessary after it was revealed that the facts of the case and the antecedents of the accused were not included in their bail applications. Without these documents, Justice Pilgrim was unable to properly consider the request for bail.
Senior Counsel Simeon Sampson is representing two of the accused men: Lerman Norman Leslie, 31, of Chunox Village, Corozal, and Ronyer Alexander Cruz, 24, of Sarteneja Village, Corozal. Meanwhile, attorney David McKoy is defending the other four fishermen: Freddy Estuardo Chavez, 43, of San Estevan, Orange Walk; Angel Aragon, 44, of Sarteneja Village, Corozal; Marvin Teul, 35, of Sarteneja Village, Corozal; and Christian Merilyn White, 38, also a fisherman from the north.
Outside the courtroom, distraught family members gathered, hoping for positive news about their loved ones. However, they left disappointed upon hearing of the delay.
During the hearing, Sampson informed the court that he had never received the facts of the case from the prosecution. He argued that his client, Leslie, had no knowledge of the drugs found in the gold Dodge Caravan and should be granted bail. However, Crown Counsel Alifah Elrington, representing the prosecution, stated that the assigned prosecutor was unavailable and she did not have the case file, making it difficult for her to object to bail.
Attorney McKoy, representing the other four fishermen, confirmed that he had the case file, but Justice Pilgrim ruled that, in fairness to all accused, the hearing should be postponed so that all relevant documents could be reviewed before a decision on bail is made.
The new court dates are as follows: Leslie and Cruz: March 28, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Chavez, Aragon, Teul, and White: March 31, 2025.
The fishermen were initially arraigned on March 19, 2025, in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on a single charge of possession of a controlled drug – 1,137 grams of cocaine. The bust occurred around 7:00 p.m. in Orange Walk when police intercepted the gold Dodge Caravan, which was driven by Pastor Mark Anthony Humes, a taxi driver from Burrell Boom Village, along with the six fishermen.
However, after further police investigation, a statement from one of the fishermen cleared Pastor Humes of involvement. The statement revealed that Humes had simply been hired to transport the men from Belize City to Orange Walk for a fee of $175 and had no knowledge of the drugs in the vehicle. As a result, on March 21, 2025, the charge against Humes was withdrawn in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court.
The fishermen’s case is now set to be heard in the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court on May 22, 2025.
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.
© 2025, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.
The post Six fishermen remain in jail as bail hearing postponed in cocaine case appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Tuesday, March 25, 2025. 6:27 pm CST. By Breaking Belize News Staff: Six northern fishermen accused of drug possession remain behind bars after their bail
The post Six fishermen remain in jail as bail hearing postponed in cocaine case appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
