Another taxi driver has been charged over the February 14 $4.7M Middle Street hold-up.
Sherwin Trotman was yesterday remanded to prison after appearing before Magistrate Sueanna Lovell at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. In addition to the robbery at Middle Street, Trotman was also charged with a $1.3M robbery committed earlier this month.
Trotman, a father of nine of 45 Section ‘B’ South Turkeyen, was not required to plead to the indictable charges of robbery under arms and robbery with aggravation.
It was alleged that on February 14, at Georgetown, being in the company of others, Trotman, 31, robbed Seleena Ahmad of a shoulder bag, a cell phone and a quantity of US and local dollars valued $4.7M
Last Friday, taxi driver Julian Craigen was remanded by acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, after being charged with the same robbery.
Police Corporal Venetta Pindar, who was prosecuting in that case, told the court that Ahmad, in the company of her mother and daughter, exited a minibus and was about to enter her yard when two men approached her and ordered her to hand over her purse. After refusing, the two attempted to wrestle the bag away from Ahmad, causing it to fall. One of the men then swept the bag up and the two ran to a silver-grey car and made good their escape.
A report was made and Craigen, who was allegedly driving the vehicle, was identified by an eyewitness, leading to him being charged.
Meanwhile, yesterday the court also heard that on May 4, Trotman, at Georgetown, being armed with a gun, robbed Padmini Persaud of a quantity of gold and diamond jewellery, a cell phone, a digital camera, a handbag and a quantity of US and local dollars valued $1.3M.
When given a chance to speak, the unrepresented Trotman said he knew nothing about the allegations and had never seen the virtual complainants.
According to him, he was told about the charges yesterday morning and was subsequently informed by the police that he would be placed before the court.
Trotman said also that he was never placed on an identification parade.
When asked by the Magistrate if he had previous brushes with the law, Trotman responded in the affirmative, explaining that he was once arraigned on an attempted murder charge, which was subsequently dismissed.
He was subsequently remanded to prison, and the matters were transferred to Court One for May 23.
