Fisherman Charged with Possessing Illegal Knife in Belize City; Claims Police Kicked Him During Arrest

A Belize City fisherman is out on bail tonight after being charged for having a knife larger than the legal limit. 30-year-old Everald Emmanuel Teck Jr., appeared in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court this morning, charged with possession of an article with a blade. The charge stems from an incident earlier today, where Teck Jr. was allegedly found with a five-inch knife on Cleghorn Street. Teck, who was unrepresented in court, initially pleaded guilty with an explanation. He told the court that he was returning home from Caye Caulker, having left the Northern Fishermen Cooperative, when police stopped him. Teck Jr. claims he informed the officer he had a knife before the search began. He alleges the officer instructed him to remove the knife himself, and after doing so, the officer kicked him in the ribs. Teck explained he uses the knife to clean fish for his family. The police report a different version of events. Officers on patrol in Pitts Alley around 12:20 a.m. say they saw Teck Jr. with a sharp object at his waist. Believing it was a firearm, they investigated and discovered a five-inch knife. Possession of a knife with a blade exceeding three inches is prohibited between 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., unless for work purposes. After hearing Teck’s explanation, the Senior Magistrate of Court determined he had presented a defense for possessing the knife. The magistrate rejected his initial guilty plea and entered an equivocal plea of not guilty on his behalf. Bail was set at $700 plus one surety, which Teck was able to post. He is due back in court on March 6.