By Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Aug. 27, 2025

   The Office of the Ombudsman has launched an investigation into the shooting of 30-year-old Nyere Parchue, which occurred several weeks ago at the Belize Central Prison and which left Parchue paralyzed.

   On the day of the incident, Parchue, who was an inmate at the prison, was released for routine recreation inside the compound. During that period, Parchue was spotted by the tower guards in an out-of-bounds area behind the building.

   The guard stationed at the tower reportedly instructed Parchue to return to his designated area; however, Parchue reportedly didn’t comply, and instead proceeded to climb the prison fence, despite numerous warning shots being fired.

   One final shot was fired at Parchue, which wounded him in the head and neck, although the guard has claimed that he was aiming for his legs in an effort to cause him to fall to the ground.

   As a result of the gunshot wound, Parchue fell from the fence and landed on his back, which caused injuries that have left him paralyzed from the waist down.

   An investigation has thus been opened by the Office of the Ombudsman to determine whether the standards of fairness, proportionality, and other administrative protocols and processes were adhered to by the prison personnel when responding to an attempted escape. Among the other aspects of the incident that will be examined are the use of force, the policies and training that govern such responses, and the medical care provided after the incident.

   A formal request for information and evidence preservation has been issued to the Kolbe Foundation, which manages the Belize Central Prison; the Ministry of Home Affairs; and the Belize Police Department.

   The role of the Office of the Ombudsman is to hold public entities accountable for their actions and provide fairness to the public.