Two men accused of robbing a woman of $123,000 worth of cash and other items were on Friday remanded to prison after appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The allegation against Shawn Cato and Warren Broomes is that on June 23 at Georgetown, they robbed Dhanraji Persaud of one shoulder bag, a cell phone, cash and other items valued $123,000.
Cato, a mason of A&B Cemetery Road and Broomes, a labourer of K7 978 Edun Street, Tucville both denied the charge when it was read to them.
In presenting the prosecution’s facts, police corporal Venetta Pindar told the court that on the day in question, the virtual complainant (VC) was walking along Regent Street when the defendants relieved her of the articles mentioned.
According to Pindar, the two accused along with a third person approached and stopped the VC while the third person held on to her bag.
The court heard that at this point a scuffle ensued and after succeeding in taking the bag from the woman, the defendants then ran away.
Corporal Pindar said that a GDF rank who was in the area at the time armed with a gun gave chase behind the men and apprehended them. They were then taken to the police station where they were arrested and charged.
When given a chance to speak, the defendants said that they had nothing to do with the charge levelled against them.
They both related to the court that they saw the GDF rank armed with a gun chasing “a man.” Sometime after that, the accused said that the rank stopped and turned back at them, accusing them of being with the persons being chased.
Cato added that it was the police who told the VC to say that he and Broomes were the persons who robbed her.
The prosecution objected to the men being granted bail citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. It contended too that if granted bail; there is the likelihood that the men will not return to stand trial and that they may want to interfere with the witness.
