Gurkhas cleared over brawl death in Belize

Wednesday, December 24, 2003

LONDON, England: Three Gurkhas have been acquitted of involvement in the death of a teenage boy at a strip club in Belize. The riflemen, who were cleared at a court martial, were among 30 soldiers celebrating the end of a one-month jungle training exercise when a fight broke out between Gurkhas and teenagers at the brothel and club.

According to the Daily Telegraph, it is believed that one of the boys threw a bottle, cutting a Gurkha's face, and it was alleged that in the ensuing brawl David Zabeneh, 14, suffered serious head injuries.

The youth, who was the son of a farmer, was flown to Florida in an air ambulance for emergency surgery but died three days later. The three acquitted soldiers, attached to the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, were based near Belize City when the incident happened in May 2001.

Six Gurkhas were arrested and initially charged with murder; the charges were dropped and three soldiers were released.

The remaining three Gurkhas were then accused of violent disorder, which they denied. An Army spokesman said yesterday that Judge Advocate Paul Camp, who presided over the court martial in Belize, had rejected the charges.

"The charges were dismissed because a number of witnesses did not turn up to give evidence for the prosecution," she said.

Sources close to the case said the cost of staging the trial in Belize, transporting and accommodating British lawyers and court staff, and hiring a civic centre for the proceedings, had amounted to tens of thousands of dollars.

  Back...

  Most popular articles: viewed, printed and e-mailed

  Printable version