Collis Collison who is accused of murdering Linden businessman Albert Joseph, called ‘Bolo’, was yesterday remanded to prison after appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
It is alleged that between January 3 and 7 at Sunflower Street, Linden, Collison of 148 South Better Hope murdered Albert Joseph. The accused was not required to plead to the capital offence of murder.
Additionally, the accused has been arraigned on two armed robbery charges which allege that on January 7 at Dageraad Avenue, Linden, being armed with a gun, he robbed Nigel Hescott and Rajindra Tiwari of one gold chain valued $160,000 and $250,000 respectively.
The accused was also not required to enter pleas to the two counts of robbery under arms.
In presenting the prosecution’s facts of the case on the murder charge, Police Corporal Venetta Pindar told the court that on the day of the incident at about 16:30 hrs, Joseph was sitting on a stool in his Sunflower Street General Store discussing the day’s sales with his daughter when the defendant entered.
According to Pindar, the accused went into the shop under the pretence of being a customer but suddenly whipped out a gun, pointed it at Joseph and demanded money and a chain he was wearing at the time.
The court then heard that Joseph was shot in his left abdomen and the accused made good his escape. The injured man was rushed to the Mackenzie Hospital and was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed on January 7.
Meanwhile, Pindar told the court that the facts were as stated in the armed robbery matters and no further details were given.
When given a chance to speak, Collison told the court that he knew nothing about the charges levelled against him. He stated that he had been in prison.
According to Collison, he was placed on an identification parade and was pointed out by “a man.” He added that “a woman” then failed to identify him but after some time had elapsed; he was pinpointed by her too.
The accused argued that he was picked up from prison on Friday last and taken to Linden by police ranks who later slapped him with the three charges.
After the magistrate ordered the prosecution to make checks to ascertain the defendant’s story, Pindar related that while the accused was indeed a prisoner on another unrelated armed robbery charge when he was taken to Linden by ranks on Friday last, Joseph’s murder had occurred before Collison’s incarceration.
