Man Charged With Murder of Street Figure Scrubby Remanded to Prison

A Belize City man has been arraigned and remanded to prison in connection with the recent murder of a well-known street figure.  Thirty-year-old Paul Elver Sambula, a resident of Jabiru Street in Belize City, appeared before the Magistrate’s Court this morning where he was formally charged with the murder of Edward Saldano Jr., also known as “Scrubby.” Sambula, who told the court he had been employed as a call center agent, was escorted to court shortly after nine o’clock under heavy police security by officers from the Gang Intelligence Unit (GI3).  At around 9:45 a.m., he was brought before Mannon Dennison where he was read a single charge of murder in connection with the fatal shooting that occurred on March 5.  Due to the nature of the offence, no plea was taken. Sambula was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until May 6, when he is expected to return to court.  Police say the charge stems from the fatal shooting of Saldano on the afternoon of March 5 along Amara Avenue near Dean Street in Belize City. Reports indicate that Saldano was riding a bicycle toward Dean Street when he was confronted by a gunman.  Investigators say a struggle reportedly ensued between the two men before the assailant gained control and opened fire multiple times. Following his arraignment this morning, Sambula was escorted from the court compound by police and transported to the Belize Central Prison, where he remains on remand.  Saldano had only recently appeared before the Magistrate’s Court on an unrelated robbery charge, for which he had been granted bail earlier this year after spending several months on remand.