Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle yesterday granted bail to two police constables accused of taking a quantity of US currency from a man after ordering him into their vehicle and driving him to another location.
“I am amused to be standing here to answer to a robbery charge,” 32-year-old Compton Grant Stewart of 673 `C’ Field Sophia said when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court to face the charge. It is alleged that on October 31, Stewart and 29-year-old Enos Lindo, of 292 Kiskadee Drive, South Ruimveldt Park, robbed Imran Khan of US$500, or $100,000 Guyana currency.
Stabroek News understands that on the said day, Khan and another man were in a car when it was stopped by police on mobile patrol. The two accused were among the officers on the patrol. Ranks allegedly searched the vehicle and later ordered Khan into their vehicle. Khan was taken to Bel Air where the ranks allegedly enquired about cash and he replied that he only had US$500. This newspaper understands that they instructed Khan to hand over the cash and threatened to do him harm if he said anything to anyone. Reports are that after the ranks left, Khan contacted a friend who in turn took him to the police to make a report.
Stewart was further charged with assault causing actual bodily harm, which he denied, and was granted an additional $20,000 bail by the magistrate. It is alleged that on April 16, at Georgetown, he assaulted Sherwin Grant so as to cause him actual bodily harm.
Lindo and Stewart appeared in court yesterday without counsel. In his defence, Stewart said Khan first claimed, in a confrontation, that he gave the men money and then he went to the police. He said the man subsequently alleged that the money was taken from his person. Stewart told the court that he doesn’t understand why the complainant would change his story. He added that Khan also told a senior police officer that he gave the money to the ranks.
When Magistrate Robertson-Ogle asked Lindo if he had anything to say he declined at first, then said that three other officers had accompanied Stewart on the patrol. He said when he reported for duty yesterday morning he was told to go to court. “I don’t know anything about that [the allegation] my worship,” Lindo said.
As regard the second charge, Stewart told the court that he was arresting Grant for being in possession of 12 grammes of cannabis and the man resisted.
Three days later, he said, Grant turned up at the police station with a medical certificate claiming that he was cuffed in the mouth and had a burst lip. Stewart said that the man also alleged that he took 20 ounces of raw gold from him.
The two accused were granted bail and ordered to appear at Court Two on February 8.
