Belisle/Ramnarace Family Can Select Attorney or Investigator to Supervise Investigation

Kareem Musa

The Belize Police Department is open to the idea of having the Belisle/Ramnarace families select an attorney or police officers to act as a liaison between them and investigators.   Both, Kareem Musa, the Minister of Home Affairs, and Chester Williams, the Commissioner of Police, agree that the families of Jon Ramnarace, David Ramnarace, and Vivian Belisle – Ramnarace should be afforded such an opportunity. It is a proposition that was offered to the family of Derrick Uh during police’s investigation into his death. On Wednesday, we heard from minister Musa on this matter and today we heard from ComPol Williams in Belmopan. Here are those comments.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“Investigation is a tricky one. I think the special prosecutor is someone that we can easily work along with. But, in terms of a private investigator what we would normally do is allow the family, if they so wish, I think we had done it in another case up north, in the Derrick Uh case, allow the family to appoint a police officer of their choosing or a private investigator of their choosing to oversee and liaise with the investigating officer so as to comfort them, or an attorney, so that they can feel comforted in the process that is taking place. But, as you know a lot of the investigative work is really happening within forty eight hours of the particular incidents. So, in that case, in the current case, a lot of the information was gathered by police quite efficiently. But, if it is that the family wants to have a private investigator or an attorney or a police officer of their choosing having oversight of the file, then we have zero problem with that. We want it to be as transparent as possible. But, at the end of the day the police are charged with the responsibility to investigate crimes in our country.”

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“In respect to Derrick Uh that was done and I think the family was satisfied with the investigation done by the police and the persons who was identified as that liaison was a relative of theirs. Even though the persons eventually declined the family eventually was happy with the gesture from the police in offering them that opportunity to have someone oversee that investigation. In practice it did not play out. I heard the minister’s interview last night with respect to the Ramnarace and I had no issue. I agree with the minister. If it is we want to show transparency, it must not only be said, but manifest itself through our actions. And um, I am willing to accommodate the family member if they so wish to have an attorney or a police officer of their choice to look at the file to see if there is anything the police is missing.”