Two men were yesterday remanded to prison when they appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry accused of stealing cash and a quantity of cheque leaves valued $9.2 million along with a firearm and a quantity of ammunition.
The allegation against Aman Lalchand and Mark Worrell, who was at the time a security guard on escort duty, is that on July 1 at Georgetown, being armed with a gun, they robbed Dennis Abrams of a quantity of cash and 10 cheque leaves valued $9.2 million, property of Courts Guyana Inc.
On the same day being armed with a gun, the men are alleged to have robbed Abrams of one .32 Taurus revolver and six rounds of .32 ammunition valued $130,000; property of RK Security Guyana Inc.
They were not required to plead to the indictable armed robbery charges when they were read to them at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
According to Police Corporal Venetta Pindar who presented the facts of the prosecution, Worrell and the virtual complainant (VC) worked with RK Security and had collected a quantity of cash and cheque leaves from Courts.
While on Lombard Street around 17:45 hrs, Pindar said, Lalchand and another person drove up to Abrams and Worrell. Lalchand then pointed a gun at Abrams and relieved him of the gun and cash.
The court then heard that Lalchand made good his escape in a waiting car.
After police investigations and questioning, Pindar related, Worrell took the lawmen to a Number 50 Village, Corentyne, Berbice home where Lalchand was found with the money.
The corporal said that while the cash was recovered, the firearm and ammunition weren’t.
Attorney-at-law Patrice Henry who represented Worrell made an application for his client to be admitted to reasonable bail on the grounds that he has no antecedents, poses no risk of flight, has a fixed place of abode and has been cooperating with police.
He said that according to his instructions, the 21-year-old who resides at 84 St Stephen Street, Charlestown was “actually the victim of the said allegation.”
Counsel said he was surprised that after assisting the police with their investigations his client was arraigned. According to the lawyer, a car just “pulled up to Worrell and the VC [and persons] held them at gunpoint, and relieved them of the articles mentioned in the charge after which [the car] sped off”.
After listening to both sides, the magistrate informed the accused that they would be remanded to prison.
The matter will be called again on July 25, for commencement of the preliminary inquiry (PI).
