Still No Date for Start of Elmer Nah Triple Murder Trial

Accused triple murderer, forty-year-old Elmer Nah, was back in court today. Nah is charged with the execution-style murders of three members of the Ramnarace family in Belmopan during a horrific shooting in December 2022. A trial date still hasn’t been set because certain orders from the presiding judge, Justice Nigel Pilgrim, haven’t been followed. So, today was more of a housekeeping session. Nah appeared virtually, represented by Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith. At the last hearing, which is still in the preliminary case management stage, Justice Pilgrim ordered all parties to file their applications by November first. However, the prosecution has not complied. In court, Smith listed several items he requested from the crown but hasn’t received, including Nah’s cellphone, a headlight, flashlight, an SD card, a body cam, and video footage from the night of the murders. When Justice Pilgrim asked the prosecution why these items weren’t accessible, they initially said they were still being investigated. The defense also wants access to an interview given to the media by the Commissioner of Police, but the crown claimed they didn’t understand what the ComPol meant in his statement. Justice Pilgrim emphasized that the crown has a duty to provide the court with this information. We spoke with Attorney Smith after the hearing.

 

Godfrey Smith, Attorney-At-Law

“We are at a very preliminary stage. We are still at the disclosure stage. We are trying to prepare our defense as fully and comprehensively as possible. We have been trying to get a list of crucial matters, access to them, from the crown, the state and not be successful in doing so. You would have heard; the judge say that he was not impressed with the crown explanation. So, he set a further date. He asked by the twenty-ninth of November that these things be provided. So, we look forward to receiving them.”