A policeman and a merchant, who allegedly robbed another man at gunpoint of a motor van and several other items totalling over $8 million, were both remanded to prison yesterday when they appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
The policeman, Andrew Mingo, 26, of 154 First Street, Herstelling, East Bank Demerara and the merchant, Troy Ogle, 34, of 86 Sideline Dam, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara were not required to plead to the indictable charge of robbery under arms.
The two men are accused of using a gun on May 9 to rob Ramesh Bhagoo of a Rav 4 motor van valued $1.9 million, $5 million in gold and diamond jewellery and $1.4 million in cash, totalling $8.3 million.
Attorney-at-law Ronald Burch-Smith who represented Ogle stated that his client was a father of three and he resided with his reputed wife.
He said his client was arrested since May 14 and was only brought to court now showing that an excessive amount of time had elapsed before his client was charged.
He said that in such situations, “It becomes oppressive, it becomes malicious and it becomes suspicious.”
The magistrate then told him that it might be a case where the police were still investigating the matter.
The lawyer responded that any information the police might have obtained from his client during the time that he was in the lockup should be treated with great suspicion.
Burch-Smith reasoned that if he was locked up for all that time, even if he had not committed the act he would have confessed because “eleven days in the Brickdam lockups is inhumane” and “not even the lowest animal should be kept there.” He commented, “it burns yours eyes to pass outside the Brickdam lockups.”
The lawyer also stated that people prefer to be in the Camp Street jail rather than the Brickdam lockups.
Burch-Smith further said that the police waited so long to bring his client to court because several marks on his client’s skin due to severe beatings at the lock-ups would no longer be visible.
He said his client was dealt several blows to his stomach and had swellings and bruises about his body while he was at the lock-ups.
The lawyer told the court that Bhagoo had told the police that Ogle was not the person who had robbed him but the police insisted that they had arrested the right persons. He also noted that the motor van was abandoned somewhere on the road.
“My client should be granted his liberty after 11 oppressive days in the Brickdam lockups,” said Burch-Smith, applying for bail.
Meanwhile, Mingo’s lawyer, Nigel Anthony, endorsed everything Burch-Smith had said.
He said that his client was the father of a seven-year-old child and his wife is currently pregnant.
The lawyer noted that his client had no brushes with the law and he was a serving member of the Guyana Police Force. He said that his client was stationed at the Timehri Police Station.
Anthony said also that, “My client is an enrolled cadet,” and his colleagues had described his service as one that was “distinguishable, respectable and admirable.”
He also noted that his client had fully cooperated with the police.
The lawyer stated that he would commend the police force for their “unbiased” approach in the case but the matter was a frivolous one.
The lawyer also noted that his client was kept in the Brickdam lockups for more that 72 hours without being charged.
He said Mingo can personally report to the police station as the matter is being investigated and the police can even seize his passport.
Anthony also noted that Bhagoo had caused his client and Ogle to be brought before the court for so much money yet he was not present in court. The lawyer then applied for reasonable bail for his client.
However, Police Prosecutor Robert Clemment objected to the bail applications on the grounds that the case jacket in the matter had been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice which was obtained and that was why the two men had been charged. He said the jacket will be sent back to the DPP for further advice.
Clemment requested to be given two weeks for clarifications to be made in the case.
The magistrate then said, “in the spirit of the independence, bail is refused.”
She ordered that both Ogle and Mingo be remanded to prison and that they appear back in court on June 9.