Armed robbery verdict reached in the 2019 case. A Chief Magistrate found four men guilty after a lengthy trial. The court examined gang-related charges and questioned witness credibility.
Kareem Heusner, 36; Raheem Budram, 24; Alton Garcia, 29; and Frank Lizama, 24, faced serious charges. They included robbery, possession of unlicensed firearms, and ammunition. The case stemmed from a July 11, 2019, robbery. The group stole firearms from Chinese businessmen You Qui Chen and Hong Bin He.
The court dropped gang-related charges due to weak evidence. However, the magistrate ruled them guilty of possessing Chen’s .380 calibre Glock pistol and live ammunition. The trial did not implicate deceased co-defendants Shane Budram and Delroy Chaplin. The focus remained on the surviving defendants.
During the robbery, two masked gunmen confronted Chen and his daughter. Chen initially reported multiple stolen items. However, his trial testimony focused only on the firearm and cash. This inconsistency raised doubts about his account.
The prosecution relied on testimony from police officers and Chen. Still, the defense successfully challenged several allegations. The Chief Magistrate cited a lack of evidence tying the men to gang activity or a criminal conspiracy.
The four convicted men were sent to Belize Central Prison. They will attend a mitigation plea hearing on February 28.
Join our Facebook Messenger group today and get a direct link to every new article posted!
