Man accused of stealing cousin’s bicycle remanded after court rejects guilty plea

By Breaking Belize News Staff: A 27-year-old Belize City construction worker accused of stealing his cousin’s bicycle was remanded to the Belize Central Prison after telling the court he was considering pleading guilty simply because he had no one to bail him.

Israel Anthony Usher appeared unrepresented in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court, where he was charged with theft.

Police allege that on August 13, 2026, Usher stole a 24-inch Hurricane Beach Cruiser bicycle valued at $500 from a female relative at a Benbow Street address.

Before entering a plea, Usher told the Magistrate that if he pleaded not guilty he had no one to secure bail for him, and asked whether pleading guilty would result in a fine instead.

The Magistrate told Usher that a guilty plea could only be accepted if he was actually admitting that he stole the bicycle.

Usher then denied stealing it, telling the court that the owner is his cousin and had allowed him to borrow the bicycle. According to Usher, police later stopped him while he was riding the bicycle against the flow of traffic and confiscated it after he was unable to produce proof of ownership.

He claimed his cousin later believed he had stolen or disposed of the bicycle and made a theft complaint against him.

After hearing his explanation, the Magistrate refused to accept a guilty plea merely for convenience and entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf.

Usher was offered bail in the sum of $500 plus one surety of the same amount, but was unable to secure bail by the end of the day and was remanded to the Belize Central Prison.

He is due back in court on October 6, 2026, when the theft matter will continue.

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