Local News

A Toledo resident is dead after he succumbed to injuries allegedly inflicted by two police officers on Sunday night.  Correspondent Paul Mahung has the details.

PAUL MAHUNG

Love FM Correspondent

Toledo District

“Reports and allegations here indicate that Michael Valerio, better known as Street and believed to be in his late 40s, was brutally beaten by one or two Police officers at about 10pm in front of and on the premises of Central Club on Front Street.  The blood stains in front of Central Club and along the entire stairway leading up to and unto the bed in the room on the upper flat where Michael Valerio stayed are evidence of the brutal treatment he went through.  Owner of Central Club, Louis Braddick who resides at the premises spoke of the Police behavior and the incident.”

LOUIS BRADDICK

Toledo Resident

“I was sleeping and I heard a rustling in front of my door and that’s what woke me up.  When I got up and opened my door, I saw two police officers and they were pretty intoxicated beating a fellow in front of my door.  When I asked them what they were doing, they hit me on my hand, then I ran down the stairs and went to the Police station and made a complaint.”

PAUL MAHUNG

Love FM Correspondent

Toledo District

“Another of Valerio’s close friends, Luis Laredo, who was at the area of the incident, spoke of the beating incident.”

LUIS LAREDO

Friend of deceased

“There was a policeman coming with a stick and beat it on the ground and after that they tell him, ‘do you want…to look for him’ and they start beat him with the stick and then they whopped him in the head and they beat him in the chest and then they whopped him in the foot.  I heard they whopped him in the knees and then they came upstairs and beat him again, ‘where is the bike?’ ‘where is the bike?’ and that’s all.”

PAUL MAHUNG

Love FM Correspondent

Toledo District

“Another friend, Karl Enriquez who was at the location, spoke of what he saw and heard the police said.”

KARL ENRIQUEZ

Friend of deceased

“Well actually we were just hanging out as usual.  These two police, I don’t know if they were on duty or not but they were not well uniformed.  Both had on white strong man shirt along with police pants and boots.  Knowing them as police officers, not by name, they addressed us and said, ‘Indian run this town not black men. I saw the thief that stole my bicycle and I want you to come.’  So the response was, ‘who stole your bicycle?’.  They said, ‘you don’t go anywhere (addressing Valerio) go, go from here (addressing Valerio’s friends) we will return.’  When they returned they started assaulting Michael.  That’s what the cop did.  That’s what I believed caused his death.”

PAUL MAHUNG

Love FM Correspondent

Toledo District

“A badly beaten up, Michael Valerio was taken to the Punta Gorda hospital where he reportedly died a short time later while undergoing treatment.  Senior Superintendent of Police, Robert Mariano is in Punta Gorda in connection with on-going investigations while two police officers are detained.”

ROBERT MARIANO

Senior Superintendent

Belize Police Department

“The Police is conducting an investigation into this matter and at this time we have both PC 736 Modesto Cucul and PC 1084 Federico Tush detained on investigation.”

PAUL MAHUNG

Love FM Correspondent

Toledo District

“The Punta Gorda community remains very concerned about this alleged police brutality incident and look forward to further speedy results and actions of the investigation.  Reporting for Love News, Paul Mahung, Punta Gorda.”

This afternoon both officers were charged for murder and two counts of harm to Noel Lopez and Luis Braddick of Punta Gorda.

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