Marco Vidal Questioned by Investigators

Former Assistant Commissioner of Police was today interviewed by investigators in the presence of his attorney, Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith. Vidal has been in the news this week after a surveillance camera captures him and two other men entering a store in the Maya Mopan area and speaking with the store owner. Vidal who is the uncle to accused murderer Elmer Nah was reportedly trying to establish Nah’s alibi on the night of December 31- the dreadful night when David and Jon Ramnarace, Viviane Belisle-Ramnarace and Yemi Alberto were targeted. Since the video emerged, police officers were on the hunt for Vidal. Today, Vidal provided investigators with proof that there was no action to pervert the course of justice. Hipolito Novelo reports.

Hipolito Novelo, Love FM News: Security cameras of this Maya Mopan shop captures former ACP Marco Vidal and two other men walking in. Vidal approaches the shop owner and introduces himself and proceeds to ask the woman permission to review the security footage of a specific date- December 31- specifically between the hours of 6 and ten o’clock when it is believe that accused murderer Elmar Nah, nephew of Marco Vidal, in cold blood murdered Jon and David Ramnarace and shot Yemi Alberto and Vivianne Belisle-Ramnarace who succumbed recently. While the shop’s cameras captures the interaction, Vidal secretly records the conversation. It’s in Spanish. 

Vidal: Goodnight. You are the one who lives here? 

Shop Owner: Yes

Vidal: I am Vidal. I would like to know if you remember about the 31st of December?

Shop Owner: What happened with the 31st of December?

Vidal: Were you here when – the 31st of December, were you here? 

Shop Owner: No, I was at church.

Vidal: But…uhh. Police has not come to you to check if you have something recorded?

Shop Owner: No. 

Vidal: ….Could we review it just to confirm?

Shop Owner: What do you want to find there?

Vidal: We want to know who was the one who was around here like about between 6:00 and 10:00  – thereabouts.

Hipolito Novelo, Love FM News: Then Vidal reminds the woman of her murdered husband. 

Vidal: You were the victim of a person who broke in here, right? No? When they attempted—-

Shop Owner:  Yes, they killed my husband. 

Vidal: So then your what-some-ah-call-it is kept 24 hours?

Shop Owner: Yes, I think it deletes every three weeks – three or two weeks 

Vidal: And did they catch any person [inaudible]?

Shop-owner: Yes, they are destined.

Vidal: Ahh, Ok

Vidal: So then I don’t know if we could review it…. just to see who was around here around that time?

Shop Owner: What happens is that the cameras are in my bedroom and my daughter is sleeping….Only if you would want to return later.

Vidal: So around what time?

Shop Owner: We don’t go to bed late… But what is it that you want to find there?

Vidal: That’s the thing. We want to see who it is because we don’t know. Because supposedly a vehicle….but I don’t know, a person probably walked by here – or returned this way, we don’t know. That is what we would want to confirm.

Vidal: [inaudible]

Shop Owner: Come back later.

Vidal: More or less what time?

Shop Owner: Around 2:00 in the afternoon

Vidal: Ok

Shop Owner: Mhm.

Hipolito Novelo, Love FM News: Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith has been hired by Vidal and says that his client did not return to the store.  Vidal with Smith visited the Belmopan Police Station to be interviewed. We are told that he was being sought for “perverting the course of justice”.  Smith describes Vidal’s conversation with the woman as normal, quiet and gentle and says there was no attempt to have anything deleted or any sort of pressure or intimidation of any kind.  

In a statement, Vidal says “At around midday on Saturday 14 , 2023 we stopped by a shop. This shop is located a few feet away from the Chinese store that is next to  Elmer Nah’s house .” 

And while Vidal remains a free man tonight, it is expected that he will still be charge. If this happens, Smith says it will amount to malicious prosecution. 

Reporting for Love News, I am Hipolito Novelo.

Elmer Nah’s Attempted Murder Charge still not upgraded 

As for Elmer Nah, the man who investigators believe committed the heinous crime, he remains locked up in a jail cell at the Belize Central Prison. The Police Department confirmed to Love News today that Nah has not been charged with any additional crime. It is expected that his charge of attempted murder will be upgraded to murder since the passing of Viviane Belisle-Ramnarace over the weekend. It is also expected that he will be charged with the shooting of Yemi Alberto. Nah denies all allegations.