Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton yesterday remanded to prison a man accused of unlawful possession and robbery under arms when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Regan Anthony Rodrigues called ‘Grey Boy’ was charged with possession of 6.32 rounds of ammunition, unlawful possession of a 3.32 Magnum revolver and robbery under arms. He was not required to plead to the first two charges and the matter was put down after it was found that police had not presented a statement about the third charge.
Rodrigues’s attorney, Vic Puran, asked for a short adjournment for the statement to be written. When he was recalled Rodrigues was charged with robbing Dennis Rampersaud of a shoulder bag, 6 ounces, 2 pennyweights raw gold, 3 gold rings and 2 gold earrings, a total value of $1, 096,500.
Puran told the court that he knew that his client would not be granted bail and as such he made no application. However, he submitted that his client is seriously injured and was released from the Georgetown hospital because of overcrowding. He requested that Rodrigues be hospitalized at a private hospital of the court’s choice, under police guard, since the prisons do not have facilities to treat him. Puran said the defendant’s family would stand the expenses for his treatment.
Police Prosecutor Shellon Daniels told the court that she was instructed that Rodrigues was treated and discharged.
The magistrate ruled in favour of the prosecution saying that any further medical care the defendant needed would be provided by the prison service. After losing on those grounds Puran asked the court to allow a doctor of the family’s choice to treat Rodrigues in prison. This too was denied.
At this point Daniels told the court that she had to solicit advice about whether Rodrigues was to be tried on all three charges jointly.
Police shot Rodrigues earlier this week during his bid to escape after allegedly robbing Rampersaud. At court yesterday the accused appeared to be in pain and spat continuously into a plastic cup.
In his final submissions Puran told the court that an identification parade was conducted at the hospital and the virtual complainant did not identify the accused as the one who robbed him.
Rodrigues was ordered to appear at court on March 10.
