BDF Soldier and Police Officer Await Sentencing After Justice Interference Conviction

More than three weeks after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice, a Belize Defence Force (BDF) soldier and a Belize Police Department officer remain on remand as mitigation pleas continue ahead of sentencing.  On Wednesday, November 12, a Senior Magistrate convicted BDF Private Ramon Alberto Alcoser and Police Constable Corporal Juan Carlos Morales, both from the Orange Walk District, for giving false and misleading statements and omitting key details during the investigation into the shooting death of BDF soldier Jessie Escobar. Escobar was killed in Santa Familia Village, Cayo District, on Sunday, September 5, 2021.  The court ruled that both men had intentionally provided untruthful statements that interfered with the administration of justice, amounting to the offense of perverting the course of justice.  Following their conviction, the proceedings shifted to mitigation pleas prior to sentencing. Both Alcoser and Morales were initially remanded to the Belize Central Prison on the day of conviction. At approximately 5:30 p.m. today, the case was adjourned to December 9, and the two convicted officers were remanded once again pending sentencing.  During today’s session, Alcoser presented six-character witnesses and later addressed the court for nearly 40 minutes. In an emotional plea for leniency, he apologized and asked for the court’s mercy, stating that he never intentionally committed wrongdoing. He detailed his academic achievements and military career, saying he joined the BDF in 2010 out of patriotism, progressed through the ranks, and completed multiple promotion courses with strong standings. Alcoser told the court that the case has cost him his career, reputation, and freedom, adding that he felt unfairly branded as a criminal despite lifelong service to the country.  In a separate mitigation development concerning Police Constable Juan Carlos Morales, defense attorney Ellis Arnold also called character witnesses. Dr. Aleida Yvette Pitt, a medical practitioner attached to the Kolbe Foundation, testified that Morales has serious mental health challenges, including a prior suicide attempt that resulted in him being placed on suicide watch.  Dr. Pitts told the court that Morales requires specialized mental health treatment unavailable at the prison facility, noting that there has been no meaningful improvement in his condition since his incarceration at Kolbe. She emphasized that Morales needs professional care not currently accessible within the prison system.  The sentencing phase is scheduled to resume on December 9, when additional witnesses are expected to testify and the court will determine appropriate penalties for both convicted men.