By Belize Live News Staff: Bert Vasquez, convicted of attempted rape in 2018, has lost his appeal after the Court of Appeal upheld his conviction and sentence. The case stems from an incident that occurred in January 2011 involving a 20-year-old woman.
Vasquez, who chose to represent himself in the appeal process, went up against the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl Lyn Vidal, arguing that his conviction should be overturned. However, after reviewing the case, the Court of Appeal ruled against him, dismissing his appeal and affirming his sentence.
The court did acknowledge that there was an excessive delay in processing his appeal, which they deemed a breach of his right to a fair hearing within a reasonable time. Despite this finding, it did not impact the final decision, and Vasquez remains convicted.
With this latest ruling, Vasquez will have to serve the remainder of his sentence, marking another failed legal attempt to overturn his fate.
