Police Officer Remanded on Incest Charge Involving Minor

A 46-year-old law enforcement officer is spending his first night behind bars at the Belize Central Prison after being formally arraigned on a charge of incest involving a minor.  Earlier today, Police Constable Morton Keith Gabb was escorted to the Belize City Magistrate’s Court by his own peers. Within minutes of his arrival, Gabb appeared before Senior Magistrate Mannon Dennison.  Accompanied by his attorney, Oscar Selgado, the officer was informed by Senior Magistrate Dennison that a plea would not be taken at this time. Because incest is an indictable offense, the matter will eventually be heard in the High Court. Due to the nature of the charge, bail was denied, and Gabb was remanded to the Belize Central Prison.  The charges stem from a disturbing series of events that began last Friday. According to police reports, a 14-year-old girl alleged that the incident occurred at her home on Friday night.  The matter came to light publicly on Sunday evening around 5:30 p.m. Police responded to a “disturbance” on Coney Drive, where they found a family dispute spilling into the streets.  Family members were reportedly hurling objects and expletives at Gabb. During this heated altercation, the minor revealed that Gabb had engaged in unlawful sexual intercourse with her against her will.  Following the outcry, the victim was taken to the hospital for a medical examination. Following a swift internal and criminal investigation, the Police Department moved to arrest and charge one of their own.