50-year-old jailed for rape and sexual assault of 12-year-old in Belize

Belize: A 50-year-old man has been remanded to the Belize Central Prison on Thursday, April 2, following the charges of one count of rape of a minor and two counts of sexual assault. He have allegation that he raped a 12-year-old girl who is now seven weeks pregnant. 

According to reports, the accused has been identified as 50-year-old Kermit Meighan, a resident of Belize City, who was appeared in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on April 2, where he was read one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault.

During the proceeding, the accused was not represented by an attorney while the victim was represented by the prosecution who told the justice about the matter. But due to the charges  being indictable (serious offences that must be tried in a higher court), the justice has not taken a no plea from him at the Belize City Magistrate’s Court.

The justice also rejected his bail and scheduled his next date of arraignment on July 27, 2026, until then he will be remanded into the Belize Central Prison. 

Reportedly, the charges of rape and sexual assault stem from the two separate incident that occureed on 2024 and April 2025. It is being said by the authorities that the accused touched the minor victim inappropriately on two different occasions: first when she and her siblings were at a residence where her mother had left them. 

While the other incident occurred in April 2025, when the accused raped the victim, following which the victim reported the officers. She told the officers that while she was sleeping, the accused woke her up and took her to a separate room where he raped her. 

Following which the police launched an investigation into the matter and concluded their initial phase of the investigation in June 2025, but they did not formally charge the accused Meighan. But the matter once again came into light as it was brought to the attention of higher authorities on March 24, 2026. 

After which a subsequent medical examination was conducted of the victim which confirmed that the minor had been “carnally known,” with her injuries classified as grievous harm. The physician who was examining the victim further confirmed that the 12-year-old is currently seven weeks pregnant.

Nothing that, the accused was formally charged for raping a minor and two counts of sexual assault on March 31, 2026, and was brought before the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on April 2. 

The accused is currently in custody until his next hearing which is scheduled for July 27, 2026.