THREE Gurkha soliders based at Shorncliffe Barracks at Folkestone are to face a court martial over the death of a teenage boy in Belize. They will each face charges of murder and violent disorder.

The troops will travel to Belize for the hearing which will be held at the British Army training headquarters early next month and at which the British Army will have jurisdiction.

Last June six Gurkhas were charged with the death of David Zabaneh, 14, who was caught up in an incident involving 25 soldiers outside a nightclub in Belize city in May 2001 while they were there on a jungle warfare training exercise.

The charges against three of the men have now been dropped because of a lack of evidence.