Posted: Thursday, May 29, 2025. 8:27 am CST.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Belize City woman has been convicted under the Cybercrime Act for posting a defamatory Facebook message that publicly accused a man of inappropriate behavior toward a minor.
The accused, Erika Marie Twist, appeared unrepresented before Magistrate Black in Court #6 on Tuesday evening. She pleaded guilty with an explanation to the charge of using a computer system to disseminate a false statement with intent to cause public ridicule, contempt, hatred, or embarrassment.
The charge stemmed from a Facebook post made under the username “Erika Martinez” which was later linked to Twist. In the post, she accused a 41-year-old man — a Senior Monetary Advisor at a bank — of making inappropriate comments to her 15-year-old relative, who had earlier accused the man of common assault. The man was criminally charged on May 7, 2025, and is currently out on bail.
According to court records, Twist’s post included emotionally charged language and even a photo of the accused, suggesting he was a “pervert” and questioning how someone close to the family could act in such a way. The post remained online for about three hours before Twist deleted it.
In court, a visibly emotional Twist explained that she acted out of anger after hearing what had allegedly happened to her young relative, who she said was traumatized by the incident. She admitted she did not know that making such a post was a crime.
Magistrate Black imposed a non-custodial sentence, fining Twist $400 plus a $5 court cost. She was given until June 30, 2025, to pay or face four months in prison. The magistrate noted her early guilty plea, remorse, and lack of prior convictions as factors in his sentencing decision.
The man named in the post told police that the online accusation severely damaged his reputation, caused public embarrassment, and misrepresented his character.
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The post Woman fined $400 under Cybercrime Law for defamatory Facebook post appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Thursday, May 29, 2025. 8:27 am CST. By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Belize City woman has been convicted under the Cybercrime Act for posting
The post Woman fined $400 under Cybercrime Law for defamatory Facebook post appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
