Two of the six men who were recently apprehended by police in a house in Albouystown, were yesterday remanded to prison when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with committing a string of crimes in Kaneville, East Bank Demerara.
Twenty-one-year-old Orpheus Johnson of Lot 13 First Street, Craig, East Bank Demerara was not required to plead to the indictable charges of robbery under arms and murder.
He and Steve Mohamed of 321 Albert Street, Albouystown were also not required to plead to the indictable charges of robbery under arms and attempted murder.
Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson presided over the cases and ordered that the matters be transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court for October 13.
It is alleged that between April 7 and 8 at Kaneville, East Bank Demerara Johnson murdered Brendon Charles. It is also alleged that on April 8 he used a gun to rob Nateram Mabudu of a cell phone and a silver chain, totalling $10,000 in value. He is also accused of using a gun to rob Imran Hussein of a gold chain valued $160,000 on June 19 at Craig, East Bank Demerara.
It is also alleged that on September 20, at Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, Johnson and Mohamed used a gun to rob Kalawatie Singh of a quantity of cash, a Discman and a carton of cigarettes, totaling $147,000 in value.
On the same day at Craig, East Bank Demerara, the duo allegedly attempted to murder Krishna Persaud.
Johnson who stood in the dock holding his abdomen and groaning told the court that he had received a severe beating from the police.
“Right now me skin paining and me head hurting real bad cause dem [the police] use firewood fuh beat me,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohamed’s lawyer told the court his client had visible marks of violence about his body that were inflicted by the police when they were interrogating him.
He said the police were forcing his client to go on an identification parade and when he objected they dealt him a severe beating.
However, Prosecutor Kevin London claimed that the two men were on a rampage in three villages on the East Bank Demerara area earlier this year.
He alleged that their malicious acts resulted in the death of one man, while another was seriously injured.
The prosecutor also stated that more charges are likely to be brought against the duo for similar offences.