More than six months after his arrest and placement in pre-trial detention, the high-profile murder case against 31-year-old Paul Sambula has reached a key procedural milestone, with prosecutors formally turning over the full body of evidence they intend to present to secure a conviction against the former call center worker. Sambula stands accused of the fatal shooting of Edward Saldano Junior, a Belize City resident widely known by his nickname “Scrubby.”
The procedural hearing took place on the afternoon of October 9, 2026, in Belize City’s Court Number Three, where legal teams completed the long-awaited disclosure of evidence. In total, prosecutors delivered 162 pages of documentary evidence, 16 photographic exhibits, and 11 DVDs of recorded material to Sambula and his legal representation. The presiding magistrate clarified during the hearing that every item included in the disclosure package forms the core of the evidence law enforcement agencies have compiled to support the murder charge against the defendant.
Sambula has been ordered to complete a full review of all disclosed material ahead of his next scheduled court appearance, set for November 4. At that next hearing, he will have the opportunity to contest the admissibility or validity of the prosecution’s evidence before the case moves forward to the paper committal phase of the legal process.
The case dates back to early March 2026, when Saldano was killed in a public shooting in central Belize City. On March 5, Saldano was cycling along Dean Street near its intersection with Amara Avenue when an armed suspect approached and confronted him. Multiple bystanders witnessed the entire incident, which included a physical struggle captured on nearby surveillance cameras. After the struggle left Saldano on the ground, the gunman fired multiple additional shots at close range. First responders rushed the victim to a local hospital, but medical teams were unable to save his life, and he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Five days after the shooting, on March 10, law enforcement officers arrested and charged Sambula with murder. He has remained in remand custody without bail since his initial arraignment, and under Belizean legal framework, he retains the full presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law.
This report is adapted from a transcribed broadcast of an evening television newscast covering proceedings in the case.