by Roy Davis (freelance reporter)

BELIZE CITY, Fri. June 14, 2024

Attorney Oscar William Selgado, 54, who was convicted of abetment to murder, appeared emotionless today when he stood in the dock of the High Court and Justice Nigel Pilgrim told him that he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, and that the sentence is to take effect from March 8, 2024, when he was found guilty.

Justice Pilgrim’s final note to Selgado was that there is no sacred cow, and nobody is above the law.

In his arrival at the sentence, Justice Pilgrim said that the maximum sentence for the offence is life imprisonment, but that he designated a period of 13 years as the starting point for the calculation of the sentence. He added 3 years for the aggravating circumstances, then he subtracted 6 years for the mitigating factors, and that resulted in a final sentence of 10 years.

On February 7, 2019, Selgado solicited Giovanni Ramirez to kill Marilyn Barnes by March 14, 2019, because on that date Barnes was scheduled to testify before the General Legal Council about an alleged case of sexual assault by Selgado, involving a boy who was a minor.

Ramirez had sought Selgado’s legal representation in a case involving firearm and ammunition charges. When Ramirez asked Selgado what would be the fee, Selgado told him $4,000, but told Ramirez that he did not have to pay, and all he had to do was kill Barnes.

Selgado showed Ramirez a photo of Barnes, took him to the apartment building on Southern Foreshore where Barnes resided, and gave him money to purchase a gun.

But Ramirez had no intention of committing the crime, and he decided to blackmail Selgado by requesting that he pay him $1,000 for a cellular phone on which he had recorded the conversations he had with Selgado during which the lawyer had asked him to kill Barnes.

Selgado agreed to pay the money in exchange for the phone. But when Ramirez went to their designated meeting place, he became fearful and suspicious when he did not see Selgado’s vehicle and he saw an unknown vehicle.

Ramirez left, and he told the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, about Selgado’s attempt to get him to kill Barnes. Williams relayed the information to the Director of Public Prosecution, Cheryl Lyn Vidal. There was a three-way conversation between Vidal, Williams and Ramirez, and efforts were made to get Ramirez to testify, but Ramirez refused, because he feared for his life.

So, after Selgado was arrested and charged and the matter came to the High Court before Justice Pilgrim, a voire dire, (a trial within a trial), was held to determine the admissibility of Ramirez’s statement into evidence.

After the Crown, represented by DPP Vidal, was able to prove that Ramirez was in fear, Justice Pilgrim ruled that the statement was admissible.

At the main trial, Williams and former police inspector Wilfredo Ferrufino, testified that they recognized Selgado’s voice in the recordings that they had listened to, although the recordings were no longer available.

Selgado testified and denied having any knowledge of any conversation between himself and Ramirez, and claimed to not know anyone by that name.

But Justice Pilgrim did not believe Selgado, and Selgado was found guilty.

In reading the script about the sentence, Justice Pilgrim said that Selgado was an officer of the court, and he had betrayed the public trust, and there was sufficient premeditation because there were repeated acts of solicitation in which Selgado kept asking Ramirez why Barnes was still alive.

Justice Pilgrim said that another aggravating factor was the effect that the incident had on Barnes, who stated in her victim impact assessment statement that she has been living in fear that she will be ambushed and killed, and her life will never be the same again.

Justice Pilgrim agreed with Selgado’s attorney, Arthur Saldivar, that the fact that there was no physical harm done to Barnes was a mitigating factor. He also took into consideration the fact that Selgado did 62 pro bono cases during the 10 years he was a practicing attorney, and he was a teacher and soldier before he became an attorney. He also took note of the fact that Selgado’s friends and relatives spoke highly of him. But he did not see poor health as a mitigating factor.

Selgado suffers from diabetes, hypertension and other diseases.

Apart from Saldivar, Selgado was represented at the sentencing by attorney Darrell Bradley.

The Crown was represented by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl Lyn Vidal.