Belize City Man Found Guilty of Raping 9-Year-Old; Faces Sentencing Next Month

32-year-old, Charles Andrew Martinez, of Belize City will be sentenced next month after having been found guilty of raping a 9-year-old child.  The rape took place in July this year.  Reports say that the child was in a house with her siblings when all of them went out, and left her with her cousin who was in the shower.  The child was watching television alone when Martinez dragged her from the living room to a bathroom outside the house, and forced the child to perform oral sex on him.  Once the heinous act was over, Martinez threatened to kill the child if she said anything.  At that moment, however, one of the child’s cousin walked in and witnessed the ordeal.  That cousin and the victim both testified in court, and in rendering his judgement, Justice Ricardo O’Neil Sandcroft said he found the witnesses’ statements to be credible.  The judge also noted that the witnesses on behalf of Martinez did leave holes in their testimony as they were unable to set the stage where the crime occurred.  After delivering a guilty verdict, the judge ordered that a social inquiry report be prepared prior to sentencing.  Martinez was allowed to testify in court, but had denied ever committing the act against the child.