Day Two In Trial Against Attorney Oscar Selgado for Abetment to Commit Murder
The trial against Attorney Oscar Selgado for abetment to commit murder, continued today at the High Court. At the start of the trial on Monday, six witnesses took the stand. Marlyn Barnes, the woman who Selgado allegedly contracted Giovanni Ramirez to kill, was the first to take the stand. She told the court that she had filed a complaint against Selgado to the General Legal Council that could have gotten him disbarred. She also told the court that she had confronted Selgado about an allegation of sexual assault of a male minor at the Office of the Ombudsman. The witness that followed informed the court of missing electronic evidence, specifically a recording that Ramirez gave to police of his alleged interaction with Selgado. The former secretary at the General Legal Council also testified on Monday. She informed the court that the council deliberated Barnes’s complaint and set a date for a hearing. Former Ombudsman Lionel Arzu also testified on Monday. Today was the start of a voir dire to determine whether Giovanni Ramirez is in fact in fear for his life and unable to testify before the court. Ramirez’s revealing statement to police was read inside the court. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Giovanni Ramirez, a twenty-five-year-old Belize City resident, is alleging that attorney Oscar Selgado contracted him to kill Belize City resident, Marlyn Barnes. In a statement given to police by Ramirez back in March 2019, he reported that in early February of that year, he called Selgado and explained that he needed an attorney. At that time, Ramirez was facing a couple firearm and ammunition related charges. In his statement to police, Ramirez says that he later met Selgado on a street in front of the Complex Building and got into his Toyota 4 Runner. He alleges that they drove around the city for forty-five minutes. During that time, Selgado purportedly told Ramirez that he needed a favor. That favor, according to Ramirez’s statement, was for him to get rid of Barnes because, according to Selgado, she was trying to tarnish his name before the General Legal Council. Ramirez’s statement was read during a voir dire hearing that began this morning. On Monday, Senior Counsel Adolf Lucas, the attorney representing Selgado, explained the voir dire.
Adolf Lucas Sr.
Adolf Lucas Sr., SC, Attorney-At-Law (File: October 3rd, 2023)
“There going to bring in two witnesses, one witness to show that Giovanni Ramirez suppose to be in fear to come to court. If the judge rules that he is in fear to come to court, the judge is going to read his statement. But Mr. Selgado will have an opportunity to give evidence too in that voir dire.”
Ramirez’s statement was read by former Inspector of Police Wilfredo Ferrufino from the stand. Ferrufino was the officer who took Ramirez’s statement in March 2019. According to the statement, Ramirez and Selgado met on several other occasions. Ramirez told police that on one occasion, later that February, he met with Selgado and told him that he needed money. According to the statement, Selgado agreed to give Ramirez money. During that meet up, he allegedly drove Ramirez to Barnes’ home so that Ramirez would know where she lives. All this was read before the court during the voir dire process and is for public consumption, contrary to what Selgado said on Monday when he sought to chastise the media.
Oscar Selgado
Oscar Selgado, Accused of Abetment to Commit Murder (File: October 3rd, 2023)
“What I want you people to understand is to respect the privacy, respect my privacy as a citizen and I don’t want to see you back at this court until this case is finished.”
Well, we were back at the High Court today, completely ignoring Selgado’sill-informed comment. We also learnt from Ramirez’s statement to the police that in late February, Selgado allegedly called Ramirez and told him that the month is almost over and Barnes is still alive. The clock was against Ramirez, because as Shanidi Chell Urbina, the former Secretary for General Legal Council, testified on Monday, the council had set Selgado’s hearing for March fourteenth. But, as it turned out, Ramirez was only using Selgado for money. Ramirez told police that after his final meeting with Selgado, he called the attorney and informed him that all their conversations were being recorded and that Selgado would have to pay a thousand dollars in exchange for the recording. That exchange never occurred, because Ramirez reportedly believed that Selgado was trying to set him up. And, as we reported on Monday, those recordings went missing from evidence. This morning, Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams spoke with reporters about the missing recording.
Reporter
“Is this a proof of corruption or people being compromised within the law enforcement?”
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Certainly there is an issue of compromise individuals within the system. I am not going to say at what level of the system but there is some issue of compromise. And it is something we are looking at, myself and the DPP. But, other than that I am not going to comment further.”
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams also took the stand today in the voir dire hearing. He testified that Ramirez came to him on March fifteen with information that Selgado had allegedly contracted him to kill Maryln Barnes. ComPol Williams says he asked former Inspector Ferrufino to investigate the matter and that is when the statement was taken. ComPol Williams testified saying he had several interactions with Ramirez at the request of the Director of Public Prosecution Cheryl –Lynn Vidal. Three of those conversations were over the phone and were recorded. In them, ComPol says Ramirez informed him and the DPP that he would not take the stand because he is in fear for his life. But there were some issues with playing those recording in court this afternoon.
Adolf Lucas Sr., SC
“Something about the DVD. Something the DPP wanted to be played was not on the DVD but it is on the commissioner of police phone that he recorded. So they need to burn that, that is the term and hand it to me. Then I am going to look at the previous one handed to me and make a comparison.”
The matter was adjourned to October eleventh.
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
