7 News Belize

Cop Charged For San Pedro Shakedown
posted (October 1, 2014)

Another police officer who is being investigated for lawless behaviour while on duty is Police Constable Oscar Ramirez, who is attached to the San Pedro Police Station.

According to police, a 17 year-old young man reported that last week Monday, his mother, Mirna Judith Berganza, was detained by police. The minor says that he and a family friend visited the station, and they spoke with Constable Ramirez who demanded that they pay him $300 and he would then release Berganza, after which, they would have to pay him an additional $700. The young man says that they ended up handing over $600 to Ramirez, and he let his mother go.

Well, police from the Professional Standards Branch investigated Constable Ramirez and charged him with extortion. The officer commanding Professional Standards said that this case and the successfully prosecuted one against Corporal Darius Martinez who was yesterday jailed for 1 and a half years should show the public that the department treats such allegations harshly:

ASP Glen Rivero - OC, Professional Standard Branch

"Since this week, we have dealt with a police officer in San Pedro for extortion, he went before the court. We have Mr. Darius Martinez who has been convicted in the magistrate's court for suppression of evidence that is against a member of our police department. Like I said we have a 0 tolerance as it comes to corruption."

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