By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 27-year-old Belize City man who spent approximately nine months on remand without receiving a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation has been ordered released from the Belize Central Prison after the Chief Magistrate dismissed the charges against him.
Kareem Anderson had been charged with common assault and harm in connection with separate attacks on two women in Belize City in late 2025, but the court had never taken a plea from him because of concerns about his mental state.
The Chief Magistrate noted on Wednesday that Anderson had remained behind bars for months while still awaiting an evaluation and that there was no clear indication when one could be completed.
His family reportedly could not afford a private psychiatric assessment, which can cost thousands of dollars, and the court was told that the absence of an available government psychiatrist had further delayed the process.
Given the length of time Anderson had spent on remand and the uncertainty surrounding the evaluation, the Chief Magistrate dismissed the charges and ordered that he be released as soon as possible.
Anderson had been accused of attacking two women in separate incidents captured on surveillance footage. One victim, sanitation worker Kendra Hamilton, was reportedly struck while cleaning a Belize City street, while 69-year-old Barbara Austin was allegedly punched as she walked along a sidewalk and fell to the ground.
The case also took a tragic turn while Anderson was incarcerated.
His mother, Jacqueline Elizabeth August, 54, died on August 8, 2026, while he was still on remand. Anderson’s sister, Monique, said he has not yet been told of their mother’s death and did not attend her funeral.
She said the family now faces the difficult task of breaking the news to him after his release.
Monique, who has reportedly helped care for Anderson for several years, said she expects to collect her brother from prison by Friday.
The dismissal means the allegations against Anderson will not proceed to trial at this time.
The post Kareem Anderson, charged for punching down 2 women, set free after nine months on remand without psychiatric evaluation; mother died while he was in prison appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 27-year-old Belize City man who spent approximately nine months on remand without receiving a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation has been ordered released from the Belize Central Prison after the Chief Magistrate dismissed the charges against him. Kareem Anderson had been charged with common assault and harm in connection with separate
The post Kareem Anderson, charged for punching down 2 women, set free after nine months on remand without psychiatric evaluation; mother died while he was in prison appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
