Five persons accused of robbing employees at the Guyana Stockfeeds Limited were remanded to prison when they appeared at the Providence Magistrates’ Court yesterday, while an arrest warrant was issued for an alleged accomplice.
Nine charges of robbery under arms were read against Troy Greenidge, 23, of Industrial Site Squatting Area, Ruimveldt; Adrian Greene, called “Miguel Johnson,” of Cato Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara (EBD); Hudley Sampson, 37, of Friendship, EBD; Silvester Vanderhyden, 23, of Remus Street, Agricola, EBD; and Ulanda King, 33, of Grove Public Road, EBD.
The five accused were not required plead when the indictable charges were read to them by Magistrate Leslie Sobers.
Delroy Cordis, called “Dottie,” of Grove, EBD, was also charged in absentia with the nine counts of armed robbery and, according to a police press statement issued yesterday, an arrest warrant has been issued for him.
The other five accused, who were present in court yesterday, will return to court on May 4.
The charges, police said, follow intense investigations into an armed robbery committed on the Guyana Stockfeeds Limited at Farm, EBD, on Wednesday March 31, 2011. It is alleged that on the same date and at the same location, the six accused robbed nine employees of more than $10 million.
Sampson and Greenidge were the only two accused who were represented by attorneys. Attorney Peter Hugh represented Sampson and Mark Waldron appeared for Greenidge. In their respective submissions, Hugh and Waldron told the court that their clients had been beaten by police.
The attorneys also contended that their clients were not taken to court since last Friday because the marks of violence, reportedly inflicted by police, were still visible. One of the two men reportedly lost a tooth during the alleged beating and the other was reportedly gun-butted about the body and sustained injuries as a result. This was reported to the court by the attorneys.
In light of these allegations, the magistrate ordered a medical examination for each accused and this was endorsed on the warrant. Sampson and Greenidge will return to court together on Friday for a report on their medical condition.
Magistrate Sobers also warned in open court that if the prosecution fails to provide a report on the medical condition of the two accused, then the court may be inclined to go in another direction and have the defendants seek out their own medical attention.
The five men were subsequently remanded by the magistrate and the matter adjourned.
Police Corporal Mansfield led the prosecution’s case.
