October 17, 2024 - Channel 5 Belize

Will Enhanced Surveillance Footage Clear Elmer Nah?

Elmer Nah was charged in September for the triple murder that took place on New Year’s Eve 2022 in Belmopan. Since his arrest nearly two years ago, Nah has maintained his innocence. A crucial piece of evidence is a video from the victims’ home surveillance system, capturing the shooter in the act. However, the video doesn’t clearly identify the shooter. Nah insists it’s not him, while investigators believe they have the right man. Nah has hired Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith, well known for his unconventional defense strategies. Smith is now working to enhance the video, hoping to prove Nah’s innocence. News Five’s Paul Lopez has more on this story.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Three weeks ago, Elmer Nah was charged with six counts related to the brutal triple murder of Jon, David, and Vivian Ramnarace on New Year’s Eve 2022 in Belmopan. Investigators are convinced that Nah is the shooter seen in the victims’ home surveillance footage from that horrific night. This video is a key piece of evidence, but questions remain about its clarity. Nah’s lawyer, Godfrey Smith, has enlisted a U.S. video and audio forensics firm to enhance the footage, hoping to clear his client’s name.

Godfrey Smith, Attorney-At-Law

“The video of the shooter on premises of the deceased person, shooting, will feature prominently. We have retained a highly reputable forensics video and audio forensics firm in Los Angeles to have a look at that, because it holds the answer to who did the shooting, if it can be enhanced.”

Nah claims innocence. On January third, 2023, while being escorted to the Belmopan Magistrate Court, Nah asserted that he was being wrongfully accused.

Elmer Nah (File: Jan 3rd, 2023)

“I just want to say I the be wrongfully accused, wrongfully accused breda, wrongfully.”

Earlier this year, on April eleventh, News Five got hold of a letter written by Nah from prison, where he claimed that an enhanced version of the surveillance footage from the night of the triple murder would prove his innocence. Addressing these claims, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told reporters that the department has strong evidence against Nah, while also discussing the potential of enhancing the video.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police (File: April 11th, 2024)

“We have solicited the assistance of the U. S. Embassy and we had sent that video footage abroad and to some extent it was enhanced. Not as good as we wanted to, but the experts in the U. S. um, did do what they could do with it for us.”

Even though he is an ex-police officer, Nah is no stranger to running afoul of the law. He has faced ammunition and firearms related charges for which he has been found not guilty. The ex-cop is now dealing with multiple charges from a drug plane landing in Bladen Village back in November 2021, on top of the charges for the December 2023 triple murder in Belmopan. Just days after that tragic night, a relative of one of the victims shared their thoughts.

Deon Pascasio, Relative of Murder Victims (File: Jan 17th, 2023)

“There are questions in the back of our minds, especially when we look at all that has been surfacing, that this particular individual, alleged perpetrator has been charged and has been involved in several different incidents and crime and has been able to walk away from every single one of them whatever reason, and that gives us some cause for concern.”

Attorney Godfrey Smith shared that the video and audio forensics firm they’ve hired believes the widely circulated surveillance footage has been distorted.

Godfrey Smith

“What they have come back to say is that look, the CD that you have may have been distorted. You need to get the video from the original recording source if there is to be a chance of seeing the face of the shooter.”

He noted that his firm has requested an original copy of the footage from the Belize Police Department.

Godfrey Smith

“They were able to point out on the recording we have that it was obviously adopted from the original source and that we need to get hold of the original source. We have also made an application to get contents of Mr. Nah’s phone and other things that are in the possession of the police.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

Gales Point Residents Want Public Transportation in Village

Nestled between Belize City and Dangriga, Gales Point Village is a unique gem with the sea on one side and a lagoon on the other. However, for villagers who need to travel and don’t own a car, getting around has become a real challenge. The public bus that used to connect them to Dangriga and Belize City no longer passes through the village. Before the highway upgrade, a dedicated bus operator served the community, but he stopped, and no one else stepped in to fill the gap. Marion Ali spoke with the village chairman and a resident to hear their concerns about this issue. Here’s the story.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Gales Point Village is facing a serious public transportation issue, and the residents are fed up with waiting for the Ministry of Transport to step in and fix it.

Kevin Andrewin, Concerned Resident, Gales Point Village

“People still have to hike out Moning, jva, and Gas Point, which is. And you know that because I know no ministers and nobody would want to have their daughter on a Sunday hike.”

Kevin Andrewin is a prominent member of the village. He mentions that the issue has impacted everyone, from shoppers to students, even though there’s a school bus available.

Kevin Andrewin

“Children population is growing and the more the children population is growing, the bus run will become a problem because the sixth time student will not have space on the bus run. They will have to continue hitching, right. You don’t want to hear a six farm student dead because dehn di hitchhike. Because after they graduate from fourth farm, the bus run, I mean one bus to run on that where they gave me some flowers, which is good. And that our benefit will look upon. Yes. The school bus, but then still the school bus will have to get bigger.”

Village Chairman Jason Altschaft told News Five that the problem goes back a few years, when there was only a dirt road as the Coastal Highway. Even though the new paved highway makes it easier to reach the village, there’s still no public transportation available to get there.

Jason Altschaft, Chairman, Gales Point Village

“We had somebody that was doing the bus run when it was a dirt road and he was preparing to do it when it became a paved road, but unfortunately politics changed and therefore he didn’t get the – didn’t get the contract. The man that did it – tried a few days here and there, but he found that it wasn’t going to be profitable for him to drive his bus down there.”

Altschaft shared that when the bus service stopped, he reached out to the Minister of Transport, Rodwell Ferguson. The only reassurance they received was a promise that a bus would soon be passing through the village. But that was several months ago.

Jason Altschaft

“I’ve definitely reached out to minister Ferguson and talked to him personally at least three or four times. It’s always encouraging But nothing has still happened. Now. We have the same guy that wanted to do the bus run before but they haven’t they haven’t selected him. He’s willing he’s got a bus.”

The owner of Ritchie’s Bus Service, Dalmon Ritchie, told News Five that he had discussed the matter with the villagers, but he is still contemplating applying for a permit to run through the village.

Voice of: Dalmon Ritchie, Owner, Ritchie’s Bus Service

“When I met a certain person, you know, in the transport department, and they said that they don’t want one. They want newer buses, you know, like maybe some 2003, 2004, you know. So I never pushed that issue there harder than where I am today, you know. But I don’t want to apply for the Coast Task Force.

I wouldda want do it.”

Minister Ferguson mentioned that no bus operators have applied to run the route yet, echoing Andrewin’s concerns about the profitability of making daily trips through the village.

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport

“I understand the concern that the people of New England and Spain, that they want to reach at a certain point. We are asking people to apply to see how profitable the world will be. But because of the class of fuel, people are reluctant to wanna have most, some, we got to listening to the, but again, it’s a matter forr us to explore. So we are going to explore it again and see if there’s any possibilities. I give you at least two weeks to a month to figure out if we can find somebody who have interest to run through the coastal highway. We have no objection, Mr. Ritchie applies. But again, from December twenty twenty four, we are asking that the buses not two thousand and twenty two bus, but because the current bus is one and a half, so we should meet the criteria and we apply the above action.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

IDB Holds Regional Meeting on Transitioning to Electric Buses

Minister of Transport Rodwell Ferguson recently returned from Quito, Ecuador, where he attended a regional conference on transitioning to electric buses. Organized by the Inter-American Development Bank, the meeting aimed to accelerate the shift from fuel-operated to electric buses across the region. The minister shared with News Five that Belize will need financial assistance to make this transition a reality.

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport

“Their hope and dream is to figure out how the countries can go EV buses when it comes to transportation of the people. And they figured out they need to do a package for the entire Central America, South America, and the Caribbean to start the process. So they as a bank is trying to find a way [to see] how they can start to transform the industry into EV buses. That is the initial concept. We are hopeful that when we have the meeting next year, they would come and say we have found a solution to figure out how we can start to transform this nation into EV buses. So we are telling them that as a small country, we will need to be backed by the IDB or some other banking institution to help us reach the standard we want to reach and that is expected by the year 2050.”

Minister of Sports to Host Dinner for CODICACER Athletes

Two weeks ago, Belize proudly sent one hundred and forty young athletes to compete in the Under-18 CODICADER Games in El Salvador. These talented students showcased their skills in athletics, basketball, football, and volleyball, representing high schools from across the country. Their performances were nothing short of impressive. To honor their achievements, Minister of Sports Rodwell Ferguson will host a celebratory dinner for the athletes at Old Belize on Friday night. He shared that despite not playing on home turf, the young athletes remained unfazed and gave it their all.

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Sports

“We are going to have a dinner tomorrow evening at the Old Belize for all the athletes who went to Salvador to participate in the CODICADER Games about two weeks ago. As a country, a small country in the region, we did extremely well. We came in third place in female football, third place in volleyball, male and female, and likewise, second place in basketball, and you know the young lady who got gold medal in track and field I think it was the hundred-meters, and she also got a silver in some other event. So far we’re doing good as a country.”

Families of Fallen BDF Soldiers Awarded $760K After Four-Year Legal Battle

Attorney Audrey Matura recently spoke about the conclusion of the case involving two of the four Belize Defence Force (BDF) soldiers who died in a tragic helicopter crash on February 27, 2020. Matura represented the families of Corporals Reinaldo Choco and Yassir Mendez, who had hired her to seek compensation from the government for their wrongful deaths.

Matura recounted that, initially, the government had promised compensation, but after a change in administration, her team had to file a claim within the one-year period stipulated by the Tort Act. According to Matura, the government eventually admitted liability for the deaths in negligence on April 12, 2022, but the issue of damages remained unresolved.

“However, what we could not agree on was the quantum of damages, the quantum of compensation. So from April 2022 to October 2024, there was a lot of filing of documents, but most of it was legal submissions to the court.”

The case passed through the hands of three different judges.

Finally, Justice Tawanda Hondora delivered a detailed ruling in October 2024, awarding the families over $760,000 in combined compensation. The amounts were distributed according to legal dependents and other factors. However, Matura noted that the government retains the right to appeal the decision, with a 21-day window to do so.

“And in essence, what happened, he ruled that, yes, these people are entitled to compensation; uh, combined, the two families get over 700,000 in compensation, but broken down for different parties, different individuals, different, um, dependence according to the law; of course, we can’t just. say that it’s a done deal because the government also has the right to appeal.”

Reflecting on the families’ reactions, Matura said their patience and resilience throughout the four-year ordeal. Both families have endured personal hardships, including financial struggles and emotional trauma. For instance, Mendez’s family, including his two young children, continues to cope with his absence, while Choco’s wife has had to navigate life without the future they had planned together.

“They have been through a lot of personal hardship that they don’t speak of publicly. They’ve been waiting for this ruling. Imagine over four years and you still can’t get it…So of course, they welcome this decision with with much glee, sadness at the same time because the money cannot replace their long one.”

NTUCB Calls for Accountability on Stake Bank Land Acquisition

The National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) says it is ‘disappointed’ with the “Government’s effective non-response” about the acquisition of the 24-acre extension of Stake Bank Island. According to NTUCB, in a letter dated September 23, 2024, the Prime Minister cited an ongoing court case involving Michael Feinstein as the reason for not providing answers.

The NTUCB said, “It is the opinion of the NTUCB that this is simply an indirect way of saying, “I don’t want to answer you.”

“Perhaps the Government prefers the NTUCB to bring a judicial review case against the Government or join the ongoing litigation to get the answers it seeks on an issue of public concern.”

The NTUCB criticised the government’s claim that the acquisition being necessary to “rescue” a private project contradicts public interest.

In response, the NTUCB plans to propose a Bill to amend the Land Acquisition (Public Purposes) Act and the Land Acquisition (Promoters) Act for future acquisitions. The Umbrella Union stated that it plans to submit their proposals to the Government in the New Year.

SSB Clarifies “Key Facts” in Police Officer Santiago Ciau’s Invalidity Case

The Social Security Board (SSB) has addressed details concerning the case of former Police Officer Santiago “Santi” Ciau Jr., who passed away at the age of 37 after a prolonged struggle with a debilitating bone illness. Ciau passed away on October 8.

After the government retired him due to medical unfitness stemming from a 2009 workplace injury, he was reportedly faced with repeated denials for invalidity benefits from the SSB.

Today, the SSB said in a statement that Ciau received the maximum entitlement of 234 days of Sickness Benefits. After exhausting these benefits, he submitted an invalidity claim. The SSB noted that Ciau received Sickness Benefits from April 30, 2021, to December 19, 2021, with payments made directly to the Government of Belize as his salary continued, allowing him to receive his full salary. The SSB also noted that Ciau never applied for Employment Injury Benefits.

After exhausting his Sickness Benefits, he was denied further payments from February 1, 2022, to April 30, 2023, for exceeding the allotted days. The SSB explained that a GOB Medical Board later deemed him unfit for work, followed by a Medical Board declaring him “not an invalid” and that “the condition is susceptible to remedy with total hip replacement surgery so that he could return to gainful employment.”

The SSB said that the Appeals Tribunal upheld this decision on December 4, 2023, and Ciau chose not to appeal the decision of the Appeals Tribunal.

Gales Point Residents Demand Public Bus Service Restoration

Nestled between Belize City and Dangriga, Gales Point Village faces a serious transportation crisis. Residents like Kevin Andrewin have been left without access to a public bus service. They continue to struggle to commute since the bus that once connected them to Dangriga and Belize City stopped running after a highway upgrade.

Village Chairman, Jason Altschaft, explained that despite a newly paved Coastal Highway, no bus operator has resumed the route. Although a former operator expressed interest, politics and profitability concerns halted progress. He said, “We had somebody that was doing the bus run when it was a dirt road and he was preparing to do it when it became a paved road, but unfortunately politics changed and therefore he didn’t get the – didn’t get the contract. The man that did it – tried a few days here and there, but he found that it wasn’t going to be profitable for him to drive his bus down there.”

Minister of Transport, Rodwell Ferguson, assured that efforts are underway to find an operator willing to take on the route, though no applications have been submitted yet.

Elmer Nah Murder Trial Update: Video Evidence “Distorted”?

Former police officer Elmer Nah was indicted on September 26 for the triple murder of Jon, David, and Vivian Ramnarace. The trio was targeted while they were at home in Belmopan on December 31, 2022.

Investigators believe Nah was the gunman captured on the victims’ home surveillance camera during the incident.

Nah’s attorney, Godfrey Smith, claims that the evidence video may have been tampered with. According to attorney Smith, the services of a U.S. forensics firm indicated the same. He said, “What they have come back to say is that look, the CD that you have may have been distorted. You need to get the video from the original recording source if there is to be a chance of seeing the face of the shooter.”

In April of this year, Police Commissioner Chester Williams told reporters that some enhancements had been made to the video. He said, “We have solicited the assistance of the U.S. Embassy, and we had sent that video footage abroad, and to some extent it was enhanced. Not as good as we wanted to, but the experts in the U.S. did do what they could do with it for us.”

Nah maintains his innocence.

Eamon Courtenay Says Senate Committee “Needs to Check Itself”

Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay told reporters today that the Senate Special Select Committee’s investigation into the controversial Definitive Agreement granted to Portico Enterprises Ltd. in October 2020 by the Barrow administration is a waste of public resources.

The committee resumed its inquiry on Wednesday.

The two witnesses, Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie and Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Christopher Coye, appeared with Courtenay as their attorney. Both men read a prepared statement, refused to answer questions from the committee, and walked out.

While Courtenay agreed that both men are “fundamentally answerable for their public actions,” he said that the issue is “being enquired into and whether there is any evidence, relevant evidence, that the cabinet secretary has to give and whether there’s any relevant evidence that Mr. Coye has to give.”

He said, “If the Senate Select Committee believes that the position that they have taken is not the correct one, they know what to do.”

Courtenay added that he believes that the inquiry should come to an end. “I think that the inquiry needs to be brought to an end. It is costing tens of thousands of dollars, taxpayer money, and it is a frolic. Until Mr. Contreras goes before that Senate Select Committee, we are wasting public resources. That is my subtle opinion, personally.”

Following the hearing, the committee voiced frustration, criticising Coye’s remarks as undermining their work and urging both witnesses to reconsider their decision to withhold information. During his statement, Coye said, “The Senate and any Committee thereof must be resolutely sure not to abuse their powers or be manipulated into abusing their powers to serve third-party special interests, including foreign interests, but rather to act reasonably and judiciously in the public interest of Belize and its citizenry alone.”

Courtenay added, “I find it remarkable though that they got an invitation. My clients attended, and then the Senate committee puts out a release that says that we did not participate. It is a lie. It is a lie. So the Senate committee needs to check itself.”

Courtenay, who is also the Senator for Government Business, was asked if there is a conflict of interest with him representing Leslie and Coye. “These two gentlemen were invited to appear before the Senate. They accepted the invitation. They attended. They gave their statements and indicated that they would not have any further evidence to give. And on the basis of my advice, we left.”