Terrence Sugrim answered to the name Roy Alvarez in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday after being taken there on charges of illegal possession of guns and ammunition and was granted bail in the sum of $1M.
This came after he had on Thursday secured bail in a similar sum in the High Court by Justice Jainarayan Singh Jr following a habeas corpus application by his legal team. Sugrim had been imprisoned after being committed to await extradition to the United States to face trial for allegedly conspiring to traffic in narcotics following an extradition hearing in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court. However, after his legal team filed the application in the High Court, Justice Singh found that many factual errors were made by the magistrate during the hearing and they were serious enough transgressions to render her rulings in relation to the committal unlawful and unfair. Bail was granted in the sum of $1M after an application.
Appearing for Sugrim/Alvarez before Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday, attorney-at-law Glen Hanoman told the court that his client had been re-arrested after being granted bail. When the case was called, a number of names were called but Sugrim/Alvarez did not respond to any name other than Roy Alvarez. “Your worship, we acknowledge the name Roy Alvarez but not the other names”, Hanoman stated.
Sugrim, 43, of Lot 91 Parfait-Harmonie, West Bank Demerara is charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. It is alleged that on June 28 also at Lot 91 Parfait Harmonie, he had in his possession two firearms, that is to say, one .32 Tarus Pistol (serial number FUH 83964) and a .32 Walter Pistol number 452067 without being the holder of a firearm licence.
It is also alleged that on the same date and place, he had in his possession 75 rounds of .32 ammunition and 85 12-gauge cartridges without being the holder of a firearm license. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Hanoman pointed out that his client had previously been charged with both offences but the charges were withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecutions. He said that the charges are “clearly a reaction to him being released on bail by the high court”. He made a bail application and the magistrate granted bail in the sum of $500 000 on each charge.
Sugrim/Alvarez and his reputed wife, Michelle Davis had previously been jointly charged with the same offences. However, after the charges were withdrawn against him, Davis faced the charges alone and her matter is ongoing at the Wales Magistrate’s Court. She also faces a charge of harbouring a wanted man.
Sugrim/Alvarez was ordered to return to court on May 15 at the Wales Magistrate’s Court.
