Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday ordered that a 31-year-old Brazilian be remanded to prison when he appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court for allegedly being found with a gun cartridge.
Bernardo Casta Silva Filho, of Lot 105 Campbell Street, Campbellville, entered a not guilty plea to the charge of unlawful possession of ammunition.
The father of three denied that on December 21, at Lethem, Central Rupununi, he had a 12-gauge cartridge in his possession without having a firearm licence in force at the time.
His lawyer Glenn Hanoman had applied for bail for him on the grounds that the police could keep his client’s passport so as to ensure that he returns to court.
He said that the charge is not as severe as the unlawful possession of a gun, and though it was a live cartridge that was found, it can cause no harm to anyone.
The lawyer said “I understand that the cartridge was found in a bag attributed to my client but this is very unusual”.
Hanoman reasoned that “it is strange for someone to be only walking around with just a cartridge in a bag”.
He further stated “I hope that your worship is filled with the Christmas spirit because my client has his three children coming to Guyana that he would like to spend Christmas with”.
However, Prosecutor Joel Ricknauth objected to the bail application on the grounds that the offence is only bailable when there is a special circumstance surrounding the offence and not the alleged offender.
He noted that the defence presented no special circumstance in the matter.
The prosecutor also noted that the defendant is a Brazilian and that if granted bail he may not return to court for his trial.
He also stated that Filho orally admitted to being in possession of the cartridge by telling the police that he found it in a boat in the Hinterland area.
Hanoman then interjected and stated that his client had given the police a written statement through an interpreter since he doesn’t speak English, denying the allegation that the cartridge belongs to him.
The matter was transferred to the Lethem Magistrate’s Court for March 9.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Marlon Mars also appeared before Magistrate Octive-Hamilton and was remanded to prison shortly after he pleaded not guilty to the charge of unlawful possession of ammunition.
He denied that on December 17, at Punt Trench Dam, Independence Boulevard, without lawful authority he had a 1 mm live round of ammunition in his possession without having a firearm licence in force at the time.
He will appear back in court on April 13 next year.
