Photo: Oscar William Selgado
by Roy Davis (freelance reporter)
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Feb. 1, 2024
The Defense, represented by attorney Adolph Lucas, Sr., has made a “no case” submission on behalf of his client, Oscar William Selgado, 54, a prominent attorney charged with abetment to murder.
Lucas’ submission was on three points: the first point was that the accused was not identified by Giovanni Ramirez in an identification parade; the second point was that there is no verification that the voice Police Commissioner, Chester Williams, identified as Selgado’s voice was the voice of Selgado; and the third point was that there is no verification that the voice that former Assistant Superintendent of Police, Wilfredo Ferrufino, identified as Selgado’s voice was the voice of Selgado.
The Director of Public Prosecution, Cheryl Lynn Vidal, who is representing the Crown, responded by first submitting that Lucas’ submission was for High Court Justice Nigel Pilgrim to determine at the end of the trial, after the Defense has closed its case.
In her submissions today, the DPP told the judge that a lot of the points raised by the Defense are irrelevant to a no case submission. For instance, she argued that it is the judge who is to decide at the end of the trial whether the statement of the alleged hired gun, Giovanni Ramirez, is credible or not. She noted that the only matter before the judge in a no case submission is whether there is insufficient evidence or if the evidence available is inherently weak, vague or inconsistent with other evidence. The Defense has argued that the latter prevails.
The DPP made the argument that there is sufficient evidence before the court to find the accused guilty.
As to the argument of the Defense that the voice in the tape recordings have not been definitively determined to be that of Selgado because there was no identification parade, the DPP has rebutted that circumstantial evidence can also lead to an identification, and there is sufficient such evidence in this case.
Justice Pilgrim then adjourned the case until 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 7, when he will hand down his decision on the no case submission by the Defense in the trial of attorney Oscar Selgado for abetment to commit murder.