Last night we told you the sensational news that Ramon Monchie Cervantez had been accused of orchestrating the murder of his own father. The man making the allegation was one of those accused of killing his father, Ramon Sr in July of 2014.
Things took an incredible and unexpected turn in Orange Walk Magistrate's Court for the preliminary inquiry yesterday, when Noe Daniel Gonzales told the magistrate that the man who orchestrated the murder was in the courtroom. When asked to point to that person, he pointed to Ramon Monchie Cervantez. In so doing Gonzales also admitted to being involved in the murder.
Like we said…incredible…the kind of courtroom drama that you thought only happens in movies. But it happened in court yesterday in one of the most high profile murder trials ever in Belize. Today, Ramon Monchie Cervantez, his mother Vilma and his sister Marisa who were all in court had a press conference in Orange Walk to publicly reject the accusation. Here's what they said:..
Ramon "Monchie" Cervantez, Denies Accusation of Orchestrating Murder
"Frankly I was taken aback, because it's a lie. It's false. It's malicious. Completely false. I don't even know the guy. The first time I saw him was like when they were arrested for my father's murder. But I know it's a lie. My conscious is clear and it's just shows the depth to which politics has gone."
Vilma Cervantez, Wife of Ramon Sr.
"Well I know this is maliciousness - political maliciousness and I know Monchie would never do something like that, because he and his dad were always working together."
Jules Vasquez
"I guess the implications was that you would have had something to gain from his estate."
Ramon "Monchie" Cervantez
"No. All assets or 90% of our assets are in the names of my mom and my father."
Reporter
"Yesterday Mr. Vega denies that ascertain that he had to do with..."
Ramon "Monchie" Cervantez
"Well it's obvious that he will deny it."
Jules Vasquez
"When Mr. Vega was accused, he said that it was all made up by you to gain a political advantage. Now you are being accused and you are saying it is made up by him or orchestrated by him to gain a political advantage. You realize how the public sees this."
Ramon "Monchie" Cervantez
"There is a difference. Exactly, there is the difference. I have lost my father. My sister had lost their father. My mom has lost her husband."
Vilma Cervantez, Wife of Ramon Sr.
"The accused has been sitting in prison for 16 months. Who have had access to them? Who has visited them? Who has communication with them? Why did they not make those accusations from the beginning?"
Jules Vasquez
"So then your narrative is that someone would have had to gotten to this accused person in jail, because Sugar City radio is not heard at the Hattieville Prison? So someone would have had to gotten to him in jail and planted this narrative for him to tell."
Ramon "Monchie" Cervantez
"Well there are many ways. I mean they could have messengers. It could have gotten to him somehow. I expect that they are concocting on what ways how they can arrest me. As we speak that's what I expect of them - that they are concocting on many ways of how they can arrest me and have me out of the race or keep my mouth shut. What we are saying is that we have the faith that over time things will start coming out and we have the faith that the truth - if it takes a lifetime, the truth will come out. We live with that faith that someday we will know the whole story."
Vilma Cervantez, Wife of Ramon Sr.
"The power of God and the support of the people strengthens our family to combat all evil. I thank you."
And so while Monchie Cervantez and his family have rejected the allegations, his accuser Noe Daniel Gonzales stands by his claim. Yesterday in court, Magistrate Merlene Moody told him that if he has anything to say in his defence, he can do so when the case goes to the Supreme Court for the full trial - but it could not be entertained at the lower Court. The case has been committed for trial at the Supreme Court, so now we'll have to wait and see where it goes from here.
As you heard last night, Cervantez's opponent Gaspar Vega denied any knowledge of or involvement in Noe Daniel Gonzales's accusing Monchie Cervantez.
