The taxi driver accused of driving the getaway car used in the $60M robbery of an Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara businessman last month was on Monday granted $10M bail by Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle when he made his second court appearance.
Avinash Ghakra Bhandu Rampertab who lives at Lot 41 Success Village, East Coast Demerara had appeared at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Fazil Azeez on December 18 but the case was subsequently transferred to the Chief Magistrate’s Court for reassignment. Magistrate Azeez had made that decision after Rampertab, who said that he was an electrician, stated that he had done some electrical work for the magistrate who knew him.
Rampertab was not required to plead to the indictable charge of robbery under arms when he first appeared and was remanded to prison.
It is alleged that on December 11 at Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, the accused, being together with others and armed with dangerous weapons, to wit guns, robbed Basdeo Sahadar of $5.7M and 355 ounces of raw gold valued at $55M, a total value of $60.7M, property of the said Sahadar.
Reports are that shortly before 7 pm on the said date, a gang of armed men invaded the Anna Catherina home of Sahadar and as he attempted to run away, shot him in the left hip.
Holding his son Davendra at gunpoint, they ransacked the home and discovered the items. Firing shots in the air, the bandits escaped in a waiting car after residents began blocking the road. Police had said that it was suspected that the bandits escaped by boat along the Atlantic Ocean.
A suspect was arrested the next day and the car believed to have been used by the bandits was recovered in the city. Further, last Thursday, acting on information received, the police arrested Rampertab in Kitty. Police in a press release had said that $1.8M had been recovered from his hotel room. Following investigations, he was charged for the offence.
Godfrey Smith, 54, of Adventure, Essequibo has also been implicated in the armed robbery and he is also before the court.
Attorney-at-law Vic Puran who entered an appearance for Rampertab on Monday made a bail application.
Counsel before suggesting $2M bail said that his client has been incarcerated since December.
However police prosecutor Denise Griffith objected on the basis that investigations are still ongoing in the matter. Griffith also pointed out that if granted bail, there is the likelihood that the defendant would not return. Puran then suggested that he could report to the police every day if the court orders.
The magistrate then announced the bail and later set the matter for tomorrow at the Wales Magistrate’s Court.
