A logger, the lone survivor of a trio who allegedly staged an armed robbery at King Solomon’s Royale Cambio last Saturday, was yesterday remanded to prison. The other two lost their lives in a shoot-out with lawmen.
Limping with a swollen left leg Sylvester Chan made his way into the courtroom and was denied bail by Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with five counts of robbery under arms.
Chan’s attorney Nigel Anthony argued that his client had gone to the establishment to conduct legitimate business and was a regular customer. He said that he would bring documentation to substantiate his claim.
Chan, 37, a logger who resides at 28 Public Road Grove, East Bank Demerara pleaded not guilty to five counts of robbery under arms.
It is alleged that on September 29 at Georgetown while armed with a gun he robbed Onika Ferguson of US$12,250, equivalent to $2,450,000 Guyana currency; $1,408,100 and $3,000. He is also accused of robbing Nolianne Stuger of one black Razr cellular phone and $8,000 cash. He also allegedly robbed Rawl Hollingsworth of two gold rings and $80,000 cash and Byresha Waithe of two gold rings and US$500, equivalent to $100,000 Guyana currency.
Anthony told the court that the circumstances giving rise to the allegations against his client are very unfortunate. He stated that his client on a regular basis transacts business at King Solomon’s which was the reason he was there. His family, the attorney said, sends money to him through the business. He added that a fracas ensued and two men were killed. The attorney stated that his client is being stereotyped because he is a deportee and had previous matters before the court. According to Anthony, his client was injured and the police saw that his foot was bleeding. He alleged that Chan was taken into custody and kept past the constitutionally stipulated period. He asked that the accused be admitted to reasonable bail and that the court order that the police take his client for medical care since the bullet or bullets are still in his feet.
Police prosecutor Sherwin Matthews objected to bail for Chan saying that the matter was a serious one and he had been charged previously for matters of a similar nature. He added that Chan had been taken to the hospital on the day of the incident. The prosecutor also indicated that Chan has matters pending in Berbice.
Anthony responding stated that he was forthright with the court about the matters his client had before the court and added that those matters had been dismissed.
Prosecutor Matthews then further stated that on the day of the incident three men went into King Solomon, held up the staff and took away the money stated in the charges. The police, he said, cordoned off the area and caught the men. Chan, he said, was positively identified and was not going to transact business as his attorney had indicated to the court.
Anthony then responded that he would bring the documentation to show and added that he knew the witnesses wouldn’t attend court. They were absent yesterday and it appeared as though they had not been told to attend court.
It was reported that about mid-morning the men stormed the business place, which had suffered a robbery nearly two months ago, and demanded that the employees lie face down while they searched for cash.
According to the police, investigations revealed that an employee was opening a door to an inner office of the business place with the key when she was pushed into the office by two men who had been sitting in the customer service area where other persons were being attended to. Police said the two men, who were both armed with guns, closed the door and held Scipio and several other employees at gunpoint, placing them to lie on the floor and demanding cash.
The police statement said a bag containing an undisclosed sum of cash was handed over to the bandits. This newspaper was told that as the men neared the entrance to an alleyway, which links Main Street with Carmichael Street, shooting erupted, resulting in two of them being killed and the other wounded.
The magistrate transferred the case to Court Two for today.
