Jared Ranguy pleaded guilty a short while ago to triple murder. Justice Nigel Pilgrim has reserved sentencing until after mitigation pleas are submitted. Ranguy pleaded guilty to the murders of his mother, sister, and stepfather in Ladyville in November of 2012. In court, the relatives of the deceased persons sobbed as Ranguy admitted that he killed the victims without provocation.
His guilty plea came after having gotten a sentence indication, meaning that he decided to plead guilty without going to a trial. News Five will have the full details, including an interview with the family, in our newscast live at 6.
News Five has confirmed that Stake Bank Enterprise Limited is in receivership. Atlantic Bank Limited has taken possession of the company’s assets as of Thursday, March 14th. Marlowe Neal of Neal & Associates Advisory Services Ltd. is the receiver.
Ground being broken at Stake Bank n 2019
In February 2019, ground was broken for Stake Bank Enterprise Limited with the intention of embarking on a tourism development project on its twenty-five-acre island.
Back then, Chairman of the Feinstein Group, Michael Feinstein, told the press that “The bankers for this project is being led by the Atlantic Bank group. The Atlantic Bank is the lead organizer for the money for this project which is sixty-seven million dollars on the island and a total of about eighty-two million dollars before this project is done.”
Michael Feinstein, Chairman of the Feinstein Group
However, fast forward five years, and the once-barren island off the coast of Belize City has transformed into a partially developed construction site yet remains unfinished despite significant efforts and investments. The project, also known as Port Coral, aimed to create a state-of-the-art cruise ship docking facility and tourism hub.
Stake Bank Enterprise Ltd., led by Michael Feinstein, secured a definitive agreement with the Government of Belize in August 2017. This agreement granted the company permission to build and operate the Stake Bank project for a fixed 25-year term. It preceded the enactment of the Stake Bank Cruise Docking Facility Development Act in January 2018.
Aerial View of the unfinished construction
The Claim
The project faced challenges, including legal disputes and controversies surrounding the approval of competing cruise ship docking facilities in Belize District, notably the Port of Magical Belize. Feinstein and Stake Bank initiated legal proceedings against the government and Portico Enterprises Limited, seeking damages for alleged breaches of the definitive agreement and hindrances to project progress.
Feinstein claims that news of Portico’s memorandum hindered negotiations and halted the construction of the Stake Bank Project.
Lawsuit filed by Michael Feinstein & Stake Bank Ltd. against G.O.B.
The Government of Belize further exacerbated the situation by entering into a definitive agreement with Portico in October 2020, granting a thirty-year term for the Port of Magical Belize along with extensive approving rights, tax benefits, and duty concessions unprecedented for any other investor or developer. Stake Bank contends that these breaches have caused significant loss and damage, resulting in a six-year stall of the project.
They claim projected net revenue losses of one hundred forty-eight million, four hundred thirty-four thousand, and four hundred four Belize dollars, along with an additional thirty million Belize dollars in interest incurred during this period.
What is a Receivership?
Receivership serves as a debt restructuring mechanism aimed at steering a company away from bankruptcy or liquidation while legal proceedings unfold. During this interim period, a neutral and legally appointed professional, known as a receiver, assumes control over the company’s operations, finances, and assets. The primary objective of the receiver is to evaluate the company’s sustainability, creditor interests, and outstanding debts, subsequently devising a repayment strategy that mitigates the need for total liquidation.
The Orange Walk Running Rebel announced earlier today that it “will not be able to continue participating in the 2024 BEBL tournament as it has become excruciating operating, organising, and competing under the present structure and leadership.”
The announcement was made on Facebook.
The team said, “We know the news is disappointing, but unless we get the change we had believed in and hoped for, elite basketball has not and will not change.”
The Orange Walk Running Rebel also said that it will remain active by continuing its work with youths and preparing for the 2025 season.
Luis Siapas was fatally chopped early this morning while at an establishment in St. Margaret’s Village in the Cayo District. According to witnesses, the victim was at La Rumba Restaurant and Bar when he was attacked by some men who chopped him in the head, face, throat, and hands.
Blood stains on pool table at restaurant where murder occurred.
The victim’s common-law-wife, Julisa Narajo, told News Five that before the deadly attack, Siapas was calm and happy. She said she was alerted to the attack by her neighbour. As to a suspected motive, she said, “At no point did he have any problem with the men who attacked him.”
The Belize Police Department has confirmed that fifty-nine-year-old Robert Joseph has been charged with two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder.
A tragic shooting incident at the Belmopan Market claimed the lives of Laura Fiorito, aged forty, and eight-year-old Megan Klassen, a neighbour’s child. Security cameras captured when they were fatally shot by Joseph, who had been living in Belize since 2012.
The incident occurred while Fiorito, her husband, Salvatore Lopes, and their two children were at Paradise Café.
Security cameras captured the interactions between the victims and Robert Joseph
The motive behind Joseph’s attack has left many puzzled. He claims the family attempted to poison him.
Police Commissioner Chester Williams told reporters yesterday, “Police have interviewed a number of persons in respect to that matter and we are trying to see how we can come up with a definitive motive…We are still trying to put the pieces together. We have gathered several statements and we have obtained some video footages that is helping the investigation pretty good. So, the accused was immediately detained by the police and the weapon used was also detained by police. So we have a good case going forward.”
Vybz Kartel, the Jamaican dancehall artist, has had his murder conviction overturned. He was sentenced to life in 2014 for the 2011 killing of his associate, forty-eight-year-old Clive “Lizard” Williams. Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, along with three co-defendants, successfully appealed on the grounds of juror misconduct. The decision to uphold the appeal means that authorities in Jamaica will now consider whether to retry the case.
Kartel faced one of the longest trials in Jamaican history, spanning 64 days. Throughout the trial and subsequent appeal, Kartel and his co-accused, Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John, maintained their innocence.
The recent appeal before the Privy Council, Jamaica’s highest court of appeal, revealed that a juror accused of attempting to bribe fellow jurors was allowed to remain on the case, influencing the final verdicts.
The Council deemed this action “fatal to the safety of the convictions,” citing it as a violation of the defendants’ right to a fair trial. While other allegations, such as undue pressure on jurors and improper handling of mobile phone evidence, were raised, the Council’s ruling focused primarily on the seriousness of the bribery accusations, leading to the dismissal of the guilty verdicts.
Prosecutors had relied on cellphone records and testimony from Lamar “Wee” Chow, the sole eyewitness, who said that Williams was killed at Kartel’s home in Havendale, St. Andrew, in August 2011.
Police Commissioner Chester Williams told reporters today that investigators are still trying to establish a motive for the deadly shooting that took place in Belmopan on Tuesday afternoon. The man police say killed a mother and her child has been identified as fifty-nine-year-old Robert “Bob” Joseph, a Haitian businessman believed to have been living in Belize since before 2012.
Robert “Bob” Joseph inside the Belmopan Police Station
A picture shows him shackled and sitting on the floor of the Belmopan Police Station. An official police report says that when officers arrived on the scene, “they were informed that an eight-year-old student of the Agua Viva area, Cayo District, and Laura Fiorito, a forty-four-year-old Italian housewife likewise of the Agua Viva address, Cayo District, received gunshot injuries and both succumbed to the injuries they sustained. The other two victims were identified as a 7-year-old and an 11-year-old, who were reported to be in stable condition.”
Scene where the shooting occurred.
The report said that Joseph “went to the Belmopan Market Plaza, where he allegedly met Salvatore Lopes, who was with his common-law Laura Fioreti and the three minors. Allegedly, Robert Joseph pulled a 9-mm pistol and fired shots towards Salvatore Lopes, causing injuries to Laura Fioreti and the three minors.”
Joseph has since been detained, pending an investigation.
ComPol Williams told reporters that Joseph accused the family of trying to poison him during their stay at his rental property. “The victims had rented a house, as the accused does an Airbnb rental, and the victim had rented a house from him for a period of six months.” Williams said that the family had vacated the house in January and moved to the Agua Viva area of Belmopan.
Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams
Investigators have collected several witness statements and are reviewing video evidence. The gun used to commit the murders was retrieved by investigators. Williams said, “So we believe that we have a very good case going forward.”
The U.S. Embassy in Belmopan issued a statement saying, “We stand prepared to offer support to the Government of Belize in both its ongoing investigation and broader efforts to reduce crime and violence in Belize.”
The US State Department has urged Americans to avoid travel to Haiti due to escalating gang violence. Haiti’s situation has deteriorated rapidly, prompting a Level 4 travel advisory. A state of emergency was declared, with the US Embassy warning of unpredictable danger. Caribbean leaders, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, met to address the crisis. Prime Minister Ariel Henry agreed to step down, pending a transitional council. However, Kenya cancelled a security mission due to the lack of a functioning government.
Protesters set fire to tyres in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday/David Lorens Mentor/Sipa/Rex/Shutterstock
Recent violence includes attacks on police stations and prisons, freeing thousands of inmates. Armed groups have seized control of government facilities and airports. A proposed ruling council was rejected by Haitian political figures, who advocate for a three-person council instead.
Street gangs, initially leveraged by political leaders, have now gained significant power. The prime minister’s whereabouts remain uncertain, as Haiti teeters on the brink of chaos, with experts attributing the violence to the government’s reliance on gangs rather than just historical factors like poverty and colonialism.
Located on 4th Avenue in Corozal Town, Shun Li Fast Food restaurant was forced to deny what it described as a “fake online accusation.” Management of the restaurant responded to a Facebook post that alleged that the restaurant had sold fry chicken infested with maggots.
The restaurant said, “After investigating, it is evident that the food plate that appeared in the allegations is not the same type as the one we use!”
Shun Li describing differences in plates
The statement continued, “At SHUN LI, we take food safety practices very seriously and adhere to strict guidelines to ensure the quality and safety of our products!”
So, if the infested food wasn’t from Shun Li Fast Food Restaurant, where was it brought? The person who made the accusation apologised, saying it was from “another business” located on 4th Avenue.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City and Belmopan announced today the resignation of Christopher Glancy. In a brief statement, the Diocese said, “The Vatican Press Office announced today, March 13, 2024, that the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Christopher J. Glancy, CSV, from the office of Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Belize City and Belmopan.
We give thanks to Almighty God for the years of service Bishop Glancy faithfully provided to the People of God in Belize. We wish him all the best and God’s endless blessings in his life. Let us keep him in our prayers.”
Press Release from Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City and Belmopan
No reason was given for Glancy’s departure from the Diocese.
Glancy was ordained as a priest on April 17, 1993. His initial assignment was as a parochial vicar at Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Bourbonnais, Illinois. During his tenure, he also took on the role of vocation director and served on the provincial council of the Viatorians. In 1998, he was assigned to Belize, where he served as a parochial vicar at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Corozal. This parish oversaw 23 village missions, 19 primary schools, and Chunox St. Viator Vocational High School. Subsequently, he returned to the United States and served as a parochial vicar at St. Viator Parish in Chicago.
