7 News Belize

Two More Officers Accused Of Extortion
posted (September 8, 2017)
Tonight, 2 police officers are being accused of extorting a civilian of $800. They are 37 year-old Sergeant Lenancio Bol, and 30 year-old Constable Daniel Requena - but they were allegedly caught in a sting operation after the extortion.

On Tuesday Estefania Gomez, was at work when a taxi driver friend called her. He told her that 3 of her female friends were detained by police because they did not have proper immigration documents.

She asked to speak with the officer in charge, and she recognized his voice as Sergeant Bol, who she is familiar with. She offered Bol $600 to release her friends, and according to her, he said that that money was too small. Gomez said that she upped the offer to $800, and he accepted.

They agreed to meet at the Li Chee Restaurant, and according to Gomez, Bol showed up and collected the cash from her in a police vehicle. But while Bol was picking up the bribe money, a police vehicle with the 3 female friends were watching.

So when Bol and the other officer drove off, they didn't get far because they were intercepted by another police team on Mark Street. Some of the bribe money was retrieved from under the vehicle they were in, and the rest was picked up near a drain.

Today, during a press briefing on another topic, we asked the police commanders about the incident, and they were stingy with their comments. Here's the brief conversation we had with them:

Reporter
"We understand that officers were on standby as a sting operation to intercept them and retrieve the bribe money."

ACP Dezerie Phillips, OC - Eastern Division
"I know that a brief synopsis of the information report made as been sent to you all in the media. So at this point in time I will just confirm with you that Sgt. Lenencio Bol has been charged with extortion and PC Daniel Requena has been charged with conspiracy to commit extortion. I will not get into the investigation of this case at this time."

"It is a policy within the police department that once you are charged criminally for an offence or a crime, we are also dealt with disciplinary under the police code and this case is no exception. That is also being done."

Reporter
"Is it a concern for you guys that there seems to be a rising number of extortion cases taking place within the department?"

ACP Edward Broaster, Operations Commander
"That's not the case. What you've been seeing is an increase in interdiction efforts, because we will not tolerate any rogue or officers acting unlawful."

ACP Dezerie Phillips, OC - Eastern Division
"But also to add on that, the department maintains its zero tolerance to wrong doing by its officers and this is another testimony that we stand by that mandate. So we investigate our officers and when we have evidence to charge, we charge criminally and internally."

Reporter
"Have there ever been any sort of complaint of police misbehavior of these two officers before this particular incident?"

ACP Edward Broaster
"Not that we can readily say at this time."

They were arraigned before Magistrate Aretha Ford. And while the police commanders said that Sergeant Bol was charged with extortion, and Constable Requena was charged with conspiracy, those aren't the charges read out in court. The Magistrate read a single charge of extortion, for which they are both charged. They were released on bail of $2,000, and they must return to court on November 14.

Police refused to say what happened to the Honduran women who did not have proper immigration status in Belize. They said that it was a matter for Immigration.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize