Police confirm 3 in running for Oprah’s reward
The wait is over… Belize City police have finally decided which people to credit with the arrest of American fugitive Niles Scott. But in addition to helping rid Belize of a wanted criminal, the three are in line to collect the sizeable reward being offered by talk show host Oprah Winfrey. Today I tracked down the lucky trio.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Belize police have named Thelma Palacio, Patricia Waight, and Cecil Gill as the three persons who alerted and led them to capture and arrest American fugitive fifty-year-old Niles Scott, wanted in the United States for the kidnap and rape of a minor. Although there is no official word from Harpo Productions, the producers of the Oprah Winfrey show, the trio stand a good chance of sharing the reward money of one hundred thousand U.S. dollars. Palacio and Waight both recognised Scott has the man that not only spoke with them on several occasions, but lived only a stone’s throw away from where the young women work. The co-workers say it was never about the money, but they are mothers very concerned about the safety of their own children
Thelma Palacio, Reward Hopeful
“I have a daughter, I have an eleven-year-old daughter and I feel safer now because I knew the man. He used to come by, he used to be my friend and when I saw it I was so shocked because he was not that type of person to me. He appeared to be a very nice and humble man, so it was a real shock to me to know that he was a rapist and he was wanted.”
Patricia Waight, Reward Hopeful
“The reason why I turned Mr Scott in is not only for the money. From the moment I saw the picture, everything just flashed back. Several years ago my cousin Sherilee Nicholas was raped and murdered and from the moment I saw the picture, everything just flashed back. I remember Thelma and her little girl because she is living alone with her little girl and I have a nine-year-old girl too.”
According to police Press Officer G. Michael Reid, the three names they submitted are the individuals who first reported the fugitive to the local authorities and gave them the information that was needed to locate and apprehend Scott.
G. Michael Reid, Police Press Officer
“The gentleman who you interviewed, came early Wednesday morning. In fact, visited the station the night before, Tuesday, immediately following the show. The thing is that this individual did not know the address and exactly where to find this person, but he did alert the police that the person was in the country and the police thereafter started an investigation and started inquiries. And then, two persons came forward and told us that they knew exactly where and led us to where the suspect was.”
“The police thereafter went to the person’s house with the assistance of the two persons who knew exactly where the individual lived and apprehended the suspect. Now, the Commissioner has made it quite clear that he is going to be as fair as possible and will submit the names of the persons who assisted in anyway, directly to the United States officials.”
One name that was not submitted is thirty-five year old Carol Desiree Wade. Although she did not make a report to the Belize police, she contends that she called the number given on the television show immediately after it aired and believes she should also be rewarded.
Carol Desiree Wade
“Anyway, I just to get my satisfaction that if I don’t even get none of this money; I just like to know that the man is not on the street again… and the people are not playing fair. When I called 922 they told me the number and the same 922 number tell me that we have changed this number from 922 to 0-800-922-8467. I hung up and I called right back, not even a second. When I called back the phone began to ring and someone answered me, a man answered me and I start to tell him about the story.”
G. Michael Reid
“The decision is not ours to make. It’s not our money to give, nor our money to receive. The scenario is as I explained it and that is where it stands at this moment.”
Palacio, Waight, and Gill say they have no problem sharing the reward money, the important thing is that Scott has been found and is now safely behind bars.
Cecil Gill
“As for the people that are coming forward, if they have a claim and it’s justifiable, hey, I have noting against that. I feel personally that I deserve something, so maybe we could all come together and split it, split the reward.”
Patricia Waight
“I feel good, but it’s like I feel good and in a way I feel like I did something bad because some people are claiming this money and I don’t want to put my family in no danger because of some money. So I think that it’s best, if these people are claiming this money, if the report that they gave in went to the police station and the police submit this report, I think it’s best that if they are claiming it, it’s best that we just share the money.”
