A San Pedro woman who was charged with abetment to murder was denied bail and remanded to prison, after she was arraigned before Magistrate Leslie Hamilton on Monday.

On Friday, police arrested and charged Francis Eve Ayala-Wilson, 39, with abetment to murder. After a prolonged search for her, police found Wilson at her father's house in Benque Veijo del Carmen, Cayo District.

Wilson is accused of plotting the murder of her wealthy husband Glen Wilson, a British national, who reportedly found out about the plot against him and reported the matter to San Pedro Police.

According to news reports, Wilson had contacted a woman police officer to carry out the hit on her husband.

At her arraignment, Senior Counsel, Simeon Sampson represented Wilson. Sampson argued in favour of bail, submitting that his client is not a flight risk. Besides, this is her first offense.

Sampson told the court that if she wanted to flee the jurisdiction, the Guatemalan border is almost in her back yard.

Sampson further submitted that the intended target, Glen Wilson, had put up wanted posters in San Pedro, saying that his estranged wife is wanted by the police.

That, Sampson told the court, was a move to contaminate the court process.

But on his objection to bail, the court prosecutor argued that the offense was a very serious one, and that if set free, Wilson might not show up for her court adjournments.

He further submitted that she has been on the run from San Pedro Police since May of this year.

Both the prosecutor and Sampson, however, agreed that that amendment to the Crime Control and Criminal Justice Act makes abetment to murder an offense for which bail can be granted.

In his ruling against granting bail, Magistrate Hamilton said he had taken into consideration the seriousness of the offence of abetment to murder, in determining whether or not he should grant bail.

Hamilton noted that the offense is so serious that the penalty is life in prison, if a person is found guilty on the charge of abetment to commit murder.

He denied bail to Wilson and remanded her to prison, telling her that the question of bail would be better treated by the Supreme Court.

Wilson is to return to court on September 17.

The Reporter