Oscar Selgado faces ten-year prison term on abetment to murder conviction

By Aaron Humes: Facing as much as a life term in prison on a charge of abetment to murder and hoping for a non-custodial sentence due to his fragile health, attorney Oscar Selgado was hit with a ten-year penalty on Friday by High Court Justice Nigel Pilgrim.

Selgado, 54, was found guilty in March and over a lengthy period discussing his sentence, the court heard testimony about his physical condition as a diabetic and whether the prison will be able to ensure he has his meals and medications.

But as Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal noted to reporters on Friday, “I think that we did cite cases to the court in our oral arguments, which suggested that while that would be a consideration, it could not have resulted in what was being asked for by the other side.”

Defense counsel Arthur Saldivar countered that “I don’t know that he did not consider it. The mere fact that he mentions it is consideration. The weight that he gave to it may not have been what would have been expected. But again, he is guided by precedent.”

As for the length of the sentence, the judge noted in court that no one is above the law and that there are no sacred cows for the legal system, not even an attorney.

Saldivar and Selgado are already planning an appeal as the former explained: “[This] marks the end of the first phase of Mr. Selgado’s struggle to vindicate himself. Mr. Selgado is certainly committed in his belief that what has transpired was not in keeping with what was required legally and as a result of that has endeavored to appeal. So we are at that stage now where we are contemplating the appeal because there is certainly much to consider in terms of the process.

The DPP observed in response that “Our courts dispense justice, so I don’t think anybody was expecting injustice today. We are pleased with the sentence and I think that the decision was well-reasoned.”

Oscar Selgado was accused of attempting to have Barnes hit in order to thwart a judicial complaint against him and employing the services of a reputed gangster who informed police instead. He was returned to the Central Prison pending his appeal.

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