Magistrate Sueannna Lovell yesterday placed a Wismar, Linden resident on $100,000 bail, after he was charged with robbery under arms.
The Georgetown Magistrates’ Court heard that on October 24, at One Mile Wismar, Linden, Winston Hinds, while being armed with a gun, robbed the Travis Clarke of 150 penny weight of gold and a cellular phone, worth a combined value of over $400,000.
Hinds, who resides at Lot 20 Blueberry Hill, Wismar, was not required to plead to the indictable charge, after it was read to him.
The prosecution related that on the day in question, Clarke was walking home when he was attacked by the defendant and another accomplice, who held him at gun point and demanded the articles mentioned in the charge. The accused was later identified and subsequently charged. The prosecution also said the articles were not recovered.
Attorney Patrice Henry, who represented Hinds, made an application for bail, saying that his client was placed on an identification parade; however, he was never identified.
He added that the accused never submitted any caution statement to the police. “I am wondering at this stage what would be the evidence, if there is any, against my client for the alleged robbery under arms,” he said.
The prosecution promptly objected to the application made by the attorney and stated that the accused was never placed on an identification parade for the charge, but had been identified for another offence of a similar nature.
The prosecution further stated that the defendant was positively identified by Clarke.
Henry, however, stressed that the prosecution was being dishonest, while lamenting that whenever the prosecution “make up stories,” it is doing so to the detriment of the liberty of citizens. Henry further questioned if the witness’ statement substantiated the prosecution’s case and when the prosecutor was asked by the magistrate, he reluctantly stated, “No, Your Worship.”
“I am concerned that police keep trampling on people’s fundamental rights. This thing must stop,” the Magis-trate said afterward.
The matter was transferred to the Christiansburg Magistrates’ Court.
