Last night, we told you that Ladyville Police intended to charge 35 year-old Belize City resident Calvin Cumberbatch for the accident which killed his wife, the well known southside moneylender, Pamela Bennett Cumberbatch, and 80 year-old Alfredo Navarrete from Burrell Boom Village. Well, Cumberbatch was charged today, and he was escorted to the Magistrate's Court this evening.
Cumberbatch suffered serious injuries in that collision, and he has a broken arm. He's expected to undergo another surgery, and he's also mourning the loss of his wife, but police said that he had to face his criminal arraignment today. So, he did, and while making his way to the court, he appeared to be in pain from those injures.
He was taken before Magistrate Carlon Mendoza, where he was read 6 charges: 2 counts of manslaughter by negligence, 2 counts of causing death by careless conduct, 1 count of driving without due care and attention, and 1 count of failing to keep in the right lane while driving on the road.
After the arraignment was completed, his attorney, Audrey Matura-Shepherd told the press outside that they think that police ought to have held off on the arraignment until Cumberbatch was in better condition:
Audrey Matura-Shepherd, Attorney for the Defendant
"He went through the arraignment and was granted bail and there is nothing much. We just have the new court date for the 18th April, at which time under the new rules, he has to be given his disclosure and there should be an early date for trial. We were shocked to hear that he would be brought to court so quickly. First of all yesterday, we learnt from the news that he was charged yesterday. That is not true. I'd been in touch in Cpl. Cholom who is the lead investigator in this matter. He knew that my client is wasn't in a good condition. Mr. Cumberbatch is still ill and will go back for another surgery. So we were shocked. We got in touch with the corporal and he said he himself didn't know about it, but we had an understanding that as soon as he feel better we would take him into the police station. So not wanting to delay this process anymore clearly there being a decision made without hearing his side of the story. We took him into police station this morning. He was then charged then and brought for arraignment today. It went so quick. But what we had been told by the investigator which I know is the normal process is that that filed would have been taken to the DPP. The police themselves know that they don't have any witnesses and so, but when the disclosure come we will see what they have. You usually take those files to the DPP. In instances like this where you still don't have everything, you would take it to a coroner's inquest. So to learn about that on the news was shocking, but then in Belize you never know what will happen."
Reporter
"Have the police shared anything with you as the attorney with regards to findings of the investigation? Blood/alcohol level or anything that would be used in this particular prosecution?"
Audrey Matura-Shepherd
"Absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing. I am telling you that it is a surprise. Mr. Cumberbatch was served with a notice of intended prosecution shortly after the accident, like a day or two after, and under that the police had up to ninety days within which to charge him. Usually you wait for someone to recover and are able to come to the court. My client is in court in pain, but maybe it's best to just get it over with because that was clearly the intention of the police to charge him."
These charges are indictable, and so no plea was taken. Cumberbatch was released on bail of $5,000, and he must return to court on April 18.
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