Two Luisgnan residents appeared in court yesterday charged with the illegal possession of a quantity of ammunition that was found in a house earlier this week.
Shazim Khan, who owns a clothing store, and his manager Randy Beckles, appeared in the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus. They both denied the allegation when it was read to them and were subsequently remanded to prison.
It is alleged that on Tuesday, the duo had in their possession 30 rounds of .357 ammunition and 40 rounds of 9 mm ammunition.
Police had said in a release hours after the discovery that a bullet-proof vest was also found.
However in court yesterday, the item was not listed in the charge.
Stabroek News was unable to ascertain the reason for this from the police. However, having a bullet-proof vest in one’s possession is illegal.
The police ended up at the home of Beckles after receiving information about Magistrate Nigel Hawke’s laptop computer, which had been stolen when a lone gunman entered his home in the wee hours of Monday morning and terrorized him and his wife.
Reports are that a suspect in the attack on the magistrate and another man had visited Beckles at his home with the item which they wanted to sell.
However, the men left after the manager told them that his employer was not there. They never returned.
When police turned up at the house a search was conducted and both men who were there at the time were arrested.
The defendants are being represented by attorney-at-law Hukumchand while Assistant Superintendent Edmond Cooper is prosecuting for the police.
The matter will again be called on June 11 when the trial is expected to begin.