Posted: Friday, January 8th, 2016. 9:27 p.m. CST
By Aaron Humes: Tonight 5 of 6 men, all tour guides, accused of being involved in connection with the bad beating of a tour guide’s son back in late May 2014 are free of the charge of harm; the sixth, 32 year old Leon Gentle, is out on bail granted to him by Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser after he saw his case committed to trial at the April 2016 session of the Supreme Court for trial for dangerous harm, reduced from attempted murder.
Gentle, represented by Richard “Dickie” Bradley, was released on six thousand dollars bail; but co-accused 43 year old Jimmy Cortez, of Boston Village; 41 year old John Frazer, of Mahogany Street, Belize City; Christopher Williams, 24; his older brother, 38 year old Evan Williams; and 39 year old Keith Vairez, all walked free after their charge was withdrawn.
The main evidence against Gentle is a statement of one witness, Yhony Vega, friend of the victim, Vitalino Reyes Jr., who told police that he only saw Gentle beating up his friend.
Reyes Jr., could not tell the police who beat him up; that’s because he was left in a comatose state for weeks before pulling through. But Gentle told us that he is very optimistic that his name will be cleared at his Supreme Court trial so he is not worrying in any way despite the fact that his other co-workers were released.
Reyes Jr., is the son of well-known tour operator Vitalino Reyes Sr.; he was reportedly having a few drinks with a colleague at the establishment when they were both assaulted by someone believed to be an employee of Yhony Rosado. Both Reyes Senior and Rosado share a history of enmity which has landed them before the court.
While they were subsequently bound to keep the peace, and have in fact made up publicly, the rivalry between the two parties continues. Gentle and the five other men who walked today were employed by Rosado at the time of the allegation.
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