Magistrate Tejnarine Ramroop denied a former policeman and three others their pre-trial freedom when they appeared before him at the New Amsterdam Court to answer charges of armed robbery.
It is alleged that on August 19 at Number 2 Village, Canje, the four accused who were later intercepted in a car at New Amsterdam robbed Errol Pellew, 44, a cane harvester of Reliance, Canje and an overseas-based Guyanese, 67-year-old Clifton Bartram.
The defendants, Keith Ross, 19 of Rose Hall Town (RHT), Randy Morris, 29, of East La Penitence, George-town, 31-year-old Gavin Robinson of RHT and former policeman, Nathan Fraser of Winkle Road, New Amster-dam were not required to plead to the offence.
The facts of the matter are that the Pellew and Bartram were having a drink below Bartram’s house when the men robbed Pellew at gunpoint of a gold ring valued $15,000 and $4,000 cash and Bartram of $7,000.
Police responded promptly and acting on information gave chase and intercepted a car, a blue and white AT 170 Carina HA 9902 with the men about one hour later at Strand, NA. The car was reportedly owned by the policeman, who was said to be interdicted from duty.
Police prosecutor, Sergeant Satrohan Diaram objected to bail on the grounds of the nature and gravity of the offence and said that a gun was reportedly used. He also said that one of the men was from Georgetown and that that he has received information that if released, the defendants would flee the jurisdiction.
Magistrate Ramroop refused bail and ordered the men to return to court on September 16 for report. But attorney-at-law, Rodwell Jagmohan who represented the first three accused requested an earlier date and it was then fixed for September 9.
Jagmohan who entered an appearance in association with attorney-at-law, Motie Singh submitted that his clients have fixed places of abode. He denied that a gun was found and said that the prosecution did not provide enough grounds for denying his clients bail.
The lawyer further argued that the matter of the men fleeing the jurisdiction is “hearsay” and should not be accepted in any court. He insisted that they would definitely attend court and said they are “innocent until proven guilty.”
