A taxi driver and a carpenter who allegedly had a gun along with ammunition in the glove compartment of a car were yesterday remanded to prison by Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle.
Trevor Bethan, 30, a taxi driver who resides at 137 James Street, Albouystown and David Deygoo, 28, a carpenter who resides at 78 Providence pleaded not guilty to two unlawful possession charges when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
It is alleged that on October 6 at Providence, East Bank Demerara, the duo had one .32 pistol along with six .32 rounds of ammunition in their possession without being the holder of a firearm licence.
Attorney-at-law Glen Hanoman represented Benthan while attorney-at-law Rexford Jackson represented Deygoo. Hanoman told the court that the two men were taken out of a bar and beaten mercilessly by the police who kept them in custody since Saturday so that their wounds could heal before they appeared in court. The attorney stated that his client’s jaw was swollen and he could not get a spoon into his mouth to eat. He added that he would like his client to see a doctor and it seemed to be a new trend which had to be nipped in the bud. He stated too that his client drove the taxi in which the police claimed the gun was found but the findings came as a shock to his client. He said “I don’t know if they planted the gun.”
Jackson told the court that his client had never been before the court for any offence and the gun and ammunition were not found on him. He added that his client was arrested in a bar and he understands that the gun was found in a car that was not even in close proximity to his client. Further, he said, his client is not the owner of the car and he requested reasonable bail. He too alleged that his client was beaten by the police.
Police prosecutor Sherwin Matthews asked that bail be refused for the two men, stating that the car keys were found in Benthan’s pocket and both men were occupants of the car. He added that the car was searched in the presence of both men and the gun was found in the glove compartment. He added that he did not believe some of the allegations made by Hanoman.
The case was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for October 15.
