Mark Lee Young, 36, accused of robbing a Rosignol, West Bank Berbice jewellery store on Tuesday of almost $15M in items was refused bail when he appeared at the Fort Wellington Court yesterday.
The court heard that around 9:30 am on February 7th while armed with a gun, Young of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara robbed Chandrowtie Ram of 142 gold rings valued $4.2M, 41 gold chains worth $4M, 45 bangles valued $5.5M and 17 gold bands costing $1.2M, amounting to $14.9M.
The man who said he was an unmarried father of four told the court he worked as a minibus driver.
He was not required to plead to the indictable offence. Magistrate Roby Benn ordered him to return to court on March 15.
Reports are that Young and his accomplice posed as customers before robbing Ram of the jewellery. They then escaped into a bushy area at D’ Edward Village.
Young was arrested later that evening while holding onto a pontoon at the Berbice River Bridge in an escape bid.
Police had said in a release that, “He was searched and a bag that he had in his possession was found to contain a quantity of jewellery, an unlicensed .32 pistol with 9 matching rounds and an unlicensed .38 snub-nose revolver with 4 matching rounds.”
Young was further slapped with a charge of three counts of robbery under arms committed on Wazim Sheriff, Zamena Subhan and Zulika Subhan on January 10 at No 22 Bel Air, West Coast Berbice.
It is alleged that he robbed Sheriff of a .32 pistol with three live matching rounds worth $101,000, a gold chain and band worth $170,000 and a cell phone along with a leather wallet valued $50,000, a total value of $499,000.
He also reportedly robbed Zulika Subhan of $327,000 worth of gold jewellery and Zamena Subhan of $505,000 cash and a diamond ring valued $40,000.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Grace Bristol asked for bail to be refused on the grounds that the accused is a flight risk and that there is likelihood that he would not attend his trial.
She submitted too that a firearm was used in the robbery and that it had been recovered. The prosecutor also argued that Young was previously charged with matters of a similar nature. Further, she stated that he also committed similar offences throughout the country and they are awaiting advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Before giving his ruling, Magistrate Benn asked Young what he would like to say in relation to bail. He responded: “Sir, I am asking for an early court date and an early trial… or a plea bargain.”
In the case of the No 22 Bel Air robbery, three other men; Delon Wills of Belmont, Mahaica; Devon Hope of Mahaica and Wayne Simpson of Ann’s Grove are also facing charges.
They were further remanded when they reappeared before Magistrate Benn on January 25.
