By Belize Live News Staff: Glenford Logan, the longest-serving and oldest remand prisoner at Belize Central Prison, was released on Monday after a High Court ruling found him unfit to stand trial due to a schizophrenia diagnosis. Logan had been incarcerated for 21 years pending trial for murder.
Logan, who turned 44 just four days earlier, was released into the care of his mother after Justice Nigel Pilgrim ruled his prolonged detention violated his Constitutional right to freedom of movement. The decision followed submissions by Sherigne Rodriguez of Belize’s Legal Aid Office, who argued that Logan’s mental illness made his continued incarceration unjust.
The case dates back to August 18, 2000, when Logan, then 19, was arraigned for the murder of security guard Kingsford Obeng in Belize City. Obeng, who was on duty at a grocery store, died in hospital after his throat was slashed. It remains unclear whether authorities pursued other suspects in the killing.
On September 6, 2023, psychiatrist Dr. Jose Matus diagnosed Logan with schizophrenia, reporting that he experienced auditory hallucinations, disjointed thoughts, and issues with fellow inmates. Despite claiming to “feel well,” Dr. Matus’s findings confirmed Logan’s inability to stand trial.
Logan’s release marked the end of a decades-long incarceration, during which no trial proceeded, and no case file materialized in court. Justice Pilgrim agreed that Logan’s detention without trial and subsequent lack of resolution violated fundamental rights.
Shortly after 11 a.m., Logan reunited with his mother on the court verandah. Together, they began the walk home, ending 21 years of separation.
