Posted: Thursday, January 14th, 2016. 7:33 p.m. CST
By Aaron Humes: For the first time since the incident happened, 18 of the 19 persons charged in the sensational burglary and rape at the residence of Lebanon Honorary Consul to Belize Sarkis Abou-Nehra appeared at the Magistrate’s Court today.
It had the feel of a high profile case despite being a regular adjournment appearance, but there was some drama.
18 year old Crystal Augustine, who was granted Supreme Court bail in December after four nights on remand at the Belize Central Prison, failed to appear today and Chief Magistrate Ann-Marie Smith ordered a bench warrant to be issued and a notice to surety.
This means Augustine will be picked up and have her bail confiscated as it had been set with certain conditions that can lead to her bail being revoked, including missing court appearances.
Augustine is charged only with handling stolen goods after she and others were found inside a vehicle where liquor and other drinks stolen from inside Sarkis Abou Nehra’s Burrell Boom home were found in their possession.
Augustine and two other females were the first set of persons to be arraigned and remanded to prison without bail.
The remaining defendants: Tyrone Meighan; Brandon Baptist; brothers and cousins, John, Gerson and Sheldon and Lane Grinage; their uncle, Randolph Coleman Jr, teenager Ashanti Roaches; Kamisha Cacho, Malik Pitts, Monique Cadle, a female minor, Paul Jex Jr., his father, Paul Sabido Jex Sr., Paula Jex, Pauline Jex, and Jeffery James Buller Jr., and Anthony Smith had their cases further adjourned for March 15, 2016.
At this time, it is expected that the group will all be provided with their disclosure in the matter which is the evidence the police are relying on to prove the charge they are all facing.
The group are represented by a number of attorneys including Dickie Bradley, Arthur Saldivar, Alifah Elrington-Hyde and Bryan Neal.
Their charges range from for the group range from rape, to conspiracy to commit rape and aggravated burglary to abetment to rape and handling stolen goods.
© 2016, www.breakingbelizenews.com. This article is the copyrighted property of Belize Media Group. Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media. REPRINTING CONTENT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND/OR PAYMENT IS THEFT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.
If you have reason to believe that any written material or image has been innocently infringed, please bring it to the immediate attention of Belize Media Group via the e-mail address or phone number listed on the Contact page so that it can be resolved expeditiously.