Abuse Case Against Police Officer Dropped After Girlfriend Withdraws Complaint

A Belize police officer accused of abusing his girlfriend is a free man after she chose not to proceed with the case. This morning, 30-year-old Jamal Augustine, who is attached to the Gang Intelligence, Investigation and Interdiction Unit (GI3), appeared in court unrepresented on a single charge of wounding. The charge stemmed from an incident on August 12, when he reportedly attacked his girlfriend, a 26-year-old Belize City resident. However, during his arraignment, the complainant took the stand and told the court she no longer wanted to pursue the matter. She was wearing a mask to hide what were alleged to be injuries to her face, a result of a punch that reportedly burst her lip. With the victim’s request, the prosecutor presented no further evidence, and the wounding charge against Augustine was dismissed. The victim had previously told police she had been in a relationship with Augustine for eight years and had been experiencing physical, emotional, and psychological abuse for the past year. She alleged that Augustine’s jealousy would often lead to him hitting her in the face, leaving her with bruises. She claimed the abuse would happen if she took too long to answer his messages or went out without informing him of her whereabouts. According to the victim’s report, the most recent incident escalated when she told Augustine she was going to the store with a friend. She claimed he became upset and, after an argument, began packing his belongings. She said she closed the door behind him but then opened it again for him to retrieve some dirty clothes. The victim’s statement to police alleges that after she told him she didn’t know where his phone charger was, he pushed her. She said she pushed him back, and he then punched her several times in the face. She told police she bit his left hand in self-defense, causing him to let her go. She then called the police. Following the victim’s report and statement, police launched an investigation, and Augustine was detained and charged with wounding on August 13. After the case was dismissed, Augustine and his girlfriend left the courtroom together and spoke briefly before he left.