Two Belize City men stand accused of robbing a businessman of his firearm on Friday morning. Twenty-four-year-old Edward Saldano and twenty-one-year-old Elan White, a maintenance worker of Ladyville, were charged jointly for robbery after they allegedly held up Dennis Morey and stole a Smith and Wesson brand revolver from him. The duo appeared unrepresented in the lower courts earlier today where they pleaded not guilty to the charge. On January nineteenth, sixty-four-year-old Dennis Morey visited Precinct One where he reported to police that sometime after 8:30 that morning he was approached by a pair of men riding on separate bicycles. According to the villager from San Juan, one of the men placed a gun at his head while his accomplice proceeded to relieve him of the revolver. This afternoon, Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero spoke on the incident.
“On Friday, January 19th, 2024, Dennis Morey reported that he was on Plues Street conducting business when he was approached by two male persons armed with firearms. The persons then proceeded to hold him up and they stole from him one .38 revolver and then made good their escape. Aa investigation was carried out and we have since arrested and charged Edward Saldano and Elan White for the crime of robbery.”
Britney Gordon
“Was that the only thing stolen from the [businessman]?”
Hilberto Romero
“That was the only item stolen.”
Saldano and White were denied bail and remanded to the Belize Central Prison until April 22nd, 2024.
The trial of Attorney, Oscar Selgado was scheduled to resume today before Justice Nigel Pilgrim, but it never got a chance to proceed beyond where it was adjourned on December nineteenth. This morning, there was a sexual assault case involving a minor that spilled over from last week that was given priority. The Selgado trial was adjourned for this afternoon, but the other trial had not concluded. Hence, the Selgado trial was adjourned again until ten Tuesday morning. Selgado, as we’ve reported, is charged with abetment to commit murder against Marilyn Barnes. Barnes had reported Selgado to the General Legal Counsel for unethical behaviour. And then Geovanni Ramirez, who had sought Selgado’s assistance for a separate matter when he was charged with a gun offense, claimed that Selgado had tried to hire him to murder Barnes. The investigating officer in the matter, former Inspector of Police, Wilfredo Ferrufino, is expected to be called to testify when the trial resumes, as well as the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams. Williams had met with Ramirez upon Ramirez’ request to discuss the matter when he felt that his safety was at risk. Of note is that today, both the prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl-Lyn Vidal and Defense Attorney, Adolph Lucas Senior, agreed to have evidence that came out of a voir dire held late last year in the trial, be admitted in the substantive matter when it resumes on Tuesday.
Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.
The case of a former employee of the Belize Sports Council was today adjourned before High Court Judge, Nigel Pilgrim. During the virtual session this morning, attorney Darrell Bradley, argued over the classification of charges that were brought against the defendant, Ivan Ayuso. The question of whether theft or money laundering was the right charge brought against Ayuso, based on the use of the monies after being stolen, became an argument that will be decided upon at a later date. Both the defense and the prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl-Lyn Vidal, have differing views on whether theft or money laundering ought to be the charge that Ayuso should be facing. Ayuso, a senior accounts clerk at the National Sports Council, is accused of theft of one point zero nine million dollars during the time that he was there in the years preceding 2016. The charges followed revelations brought out in an audit report of the Sport Council’s finances, a former attorney for Ayuso had said publicly following the charges that Ayuso was responsible for preparing checks, for which he was not authorized to sign. In January of 2021, Ayuso was granted bail in the sum of three hundred thousand dollars. Ayuso was ordered to return to court on January thirty-first, when a decision will be made on the charges for which he faces trial. Ivan Ayuso was also charged back in 2002 with arson in connection with the fire that destroyed the Paslow Building. He was acquitted of the charge.
A resident of Mahogany Heights is indebted to the court for four thousand, five hundred dollars after being charged for drug trafficking. Twenty-year-old Emmanuel Thompson pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply when he appeared unrepresented before the magistrate’s court earlier today. On Saturday, Thompson was caught red-handed in possession of two hundred and thirty four grams of cannabis following a pursuit by police officers. During the chase, he was seen disposing a bag containing two parcels of weed. In court this morning, Thompson was fined and given until August thirty-first to clear the debt or, in default, serve eighteen months at the Belize Central Prison.
Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.
Residents of Caribbean Shores have observed that although several of their streets have remained in disrepair for a prolonged period of time, construction has finally begun to remedy the situation. As the time for election draws nearer, questions of whether this can be classified as electioneering arise. Kareem Musa, area representative for the constituency denies the accusation. Here’s what he had to say.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“We have been fixing roads, but it’s never on the radar of the media. For example, we fixed a road in Buttonwood Bay last year, early last year, we fixed, and that was Manatee Drive we fixed, I think it is St. Luke Street again, in Caribbean Shores, and there were other roadworks that started over six months ago, it’s just that the funding for the roadworks, because they had been dug up on those streets on Dunn, Landivar, Guadalupe, and I’ve been advocating heavily for these streets to be repaired since six months ago for us to get the funding for that. And so it’s not electioneering. These are roads that have already been in the pipeline for quite some time now.”
Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.
With the ongoing elections in El Salvador, Belize has set up a polling station to accommodate Salvadorans living outside of their home country. With this in mind, the question was raised as to whether or not Belizeans living abroad will ever be afforded the same right. Here’s what Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca had to say on the matter.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“I think that was something the government of Salvador, obviously, they have legal authority to have Salvadorans who live outside of their country vote. That’s established by law in Salvador and So when that request came to Belize we were obliged to, to support and help them to carry that out. We have not reached that point in Belize. I think it’s a good issue for discussion whether we want Belizeans in the diaspora to participate in elections. I think now that we’re going through the process of reviewing the constitution, the PCC process, I think that’s an ideal opportunity for us to discuss an issue like this one. I think it’s definitely something worth worthy of debate, worthy of discussion. And at the end of the day, I think it’s something we can look at but we’re not there yet in the case of Salvador, they already have that as a part of their law. We are not at that point yet. So as I said, I think the PCC represents an opportunity for us to have that in discussion and perhaps coming out of this PCC process. That is something that Belize may want to do. But let’s see what comes out of the process.”
Earlier today, BSCFA Chairman Elvis Reyes addressed the gathering and so did Orange Walk South Area Representative and Minister of Agriculture Jose Abelardo Mai.
Prime Minister John Briceno is presently out of the country and the situation in Orange Walk remains volatile where the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association and its membership met with government officials, including Minister of Agriculture Jose Abelardo Mai, Chief Executive Officer Servulo Baeza and Minister of National Defense Florencio Marin Junior, earlier today. The meeting on the compound at the Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute, SIRDI, preceded the blocking of the highway that traverses Orange Walk Town. Since the annual sugar crop commenced on December twenty-eighth, the BSCFA is yet to deliver cane to the mill, as the association remains at odds with Belize Sugar Industries Ltd. over the signing of a commercial agreement. The BSCFA and the Government of Belize have been locked in a series of meetings since last Thursday and the discussions continued through the weekend. But tonight it is apparent that the parties may be no closer to arriving at an amicable solution to the standing impasse. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams has been on the ground in Orange Walk since this morning and while there is no report of violence, the Belize Police Department has maintained a visible presence since the start of the crop last week. We begin with footage of what has been taking place at the SIRDI compound today that resulted in the blocking of that stretch of the Philip Goldson Highway.
Tonight, the Roman Catholic Church is mourning the passing of its beloved Bishop Lawrence Nicasio. Nicasio died on New Year’s morning at the age of sixty-seven, after battling with cancer. Originally from Dangriga, Bishop Nicasio started his early education in that municipality and would become a man that was loved by people in all the locations he served, not only as a bishop, but also in his secular life as a teacher after having graduated from the Belize Teachers’ College. Before he went abroad to pursue his studies in theology, Nicasio taught at several schools and served as the director of the Catholic schools in the Toledo District. News Five’s Marion Ali filed the following report on the late bishop’s life.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Born Lawrence Sydney Nicasio on September fifth, 1956, the late Catholic Bishop Larry, as he was affectionately known, began studying philosophy at Cardinal Glennon College in Missouri, in 1981. Thereafter, he pursued theological studies at Kenrick Theological Seminary, near St. Louis, and on June sixteenth 1989, he was ordained a priest.
Bishop Lawrence Nicasio
The late bishop was appointed Vicar in Belmopan for thirteen years from 1991 to 2004, after which he served as pastor in Orange Walk Town, then pastor of St. Ignatius from 2005 to 2008 and at St. John Vianney from 2008 to 2013. When Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the late Bishop Dorick Wright on January twenty-sixth, 2017, he appointed Nicasio as the new Bishop of Belize City and Belmopan.
But even before he went away to become a priest, Nicasio was a leader. He taught at several schools in Belize and served as the director of the Catholic schools in the Toledo District. He was well loved by the people in those communities. Just five days ago, the Catholic Parish and its parishioners in Dangriga led a full service for Nicasio, where, although frail from the ravages of the illness, he was still present.
That congregation sang the Our Father in Garifuna, just as he had always loved when he was the chief celebrant, particularly at November nineteenth church services. Bishop Alvin Benguche of the Methodist Church and Executive Member of the Belize Council of Churches relived how much his brother in Christ promoted the Garifuna culture and one time, invited him to partake in the mass.
Alvin Benguche
Bishop Alvin Benguche, Executive Member, Belize Council of Churches
“He was one who first reached out to me and one who thought that he should reach out to me not only as another person who would serve as Bishop in another denomination, but also he recognized that it was important for us – as two bishops serving the nation and from the Garifuna population; that he should also reach out to me in the sense that we had become religious leaders and it was important. He thought that as religious leaders, especially from the Garifuna nation, that we should at least be able to know where and what we will do as leaders in order to help to reach out to our Garifuna people and the wider nation. And I thought that that, for him, was so very commendable. The Garifuna people should really remember him for the impact of the work that he did amongst the Garifuna population. I can recall that he was one who also insisted that as a part of the Garifuna Mass on the 19th of November in Dangriga, that he thought that it was important to involve me in one of those services. I thought that it was so very humbling of him to ensure that I participated in such a mass, and I will never forget that.”
Bishop Philip Wright who heads the Anglican Church also shared with us his opinion of the late Bishop Nicasio with whom he shared a few working sessions.
Philip Wright
Rev. Philip Wright, Bishop, Anglican Diocese
“He was somewhat soft spoken, and jovial, but he always brought to our conversations some insights into issues and I remember him as well as being able to offer anecdotal stories to help make his point. So he will be remembered as a somewhat gentle spirit, soft spoken, but deep in his reflection and in his contributions to our conversations. We have again lost quite a son of the sword, you know, who was very committed to his ministry, to his church, to his people and he will long be remembered as well as a faithful servant, a friend and a colleague.”
Father Cesar Santa Cruz, also Catholic priest, has only been in Belize for a little over a month and only met with Bishop Nicasio once, but it was a meeting that he says he will remember for a long time.
Cesar Santa Cruz
Father Cesar Santa Cruz, Priest, Catholic Church
“I came here from Guatemala to cover this mission in November 22nd and I was in a meeting with the mission. It was December 14th, I had the opportunity to see him and that was the only one. I could see, well he was in a wheelchair. I could see he was very sick, but I could appreciate the love that people had for him. He was very kind. I was introduced to him – really very kind person, very quiet. He really impressed me with his personality. I could see how people really loved him.”
Bishop Nicasio, who had been ill for a couple years, had given an update on his health battle and offered hope to his congregation virtually in May of 2023, following his first round of treatment.
Lawrence Nicasio
Bishop Lawrence Nicasio, Deceased
“I continue treatment and I’m very grateful to the doctors and the nurses who worked along with me. A number of them are Catholics, and we really pray for one another, and they’ve offered me loving care and I’m very grateful for that. At this point in my journey, we’ve been communicating with the doctor, a classmate of mine who has been very helpful in transporting me to the clinic. We discussed with the doctor about making a brief visit home to Belize. I just want to join you again as we join our hearts in prayer for this entire journey that I’ve been on since last year in July. Thanks again for your prayers and many greetings you have sent and words of encouragement you’ve sent to me. Those who come by to visit, I thank you very much.”
The Vatican will determine who will be the next Bishop of the Catholic Church. Bishop Nicasio will be laid to rest on Friday, following a funeral service in Belmopan. Marion Ali for News Five.
Minister of Education, Francis Fonseca, also expressed his condolences on the passing of Bishop Nicasio on his Facebook page. He shared with News Five that the late bishop had dedicated much of his sixty-seven years to the clergy and to education, and for that, the government pays its respect and gratitude to someone he referred to as: a very good friend, a strong partner in education, and a good son of Belize.
Via phone: Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
“Bishop Nicasio has been a priest for, I think 34 years, serving our Belizean community, our people. He has served in many communities across the country and is loved, beloved by Belizeans all across our community. So, you know, in education, we consider him a very good friend, a strong partner in education, someone who believes in the church state partnership of education and who worked very closely with the Government of Belize and the Ministry of Education to advance, you know, our goals for quality education in Belize. So we want to, on behalf of the Government of Belize, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, express our deepest sympathies to his family, and of course, to his colleague, priest in the Roman Catholic Church, and indeed to the entire Roman Catholic Church community, you know. We have lost a good son of Belize, who has given his life, to serving God, and serving our communities.”
