A hinterland food vendor arraigned on unlicensed firearm and ammunition possession charges was on Monday remanded to prison after appearing before Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The allegation against Satrohan Jaimangal is that on June 8 at Arimu Backdam, Cuyuni River, Essequibo, he had in his possession one .38 Special revolver and two .38 rounds without the respective firearm and ammunition licences.
The 30-year-old father of four who resides at 1 Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.
Attorney George Thomas who represented the accused said that his client is innocent of the charges leveled against him. He asked the court to take into account that the area in which the items were allegedly found is a “general area, open and accessible to the public at large” at the shop which his client operates.
According to counsel, his instructions are that there were customers in the shop area at the time of the alleged find.
According to the prosecution’s facts, however, the items were found in long boots belonging to the defendant in his bedroom and he had admitted to investigating ranks that he bought the gun and ammunition “from a man.”
The lawyer 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 and has a fixed place of abode. Thomas was, however, unsuccessful in securing his client’s pretrial liberty.
The prosecution objected to the lawyer’s bail application on the grounds that the offences committed are serious and prevalent.
Jaimangal was informed that he would be remanded to prison. His matter was transferred to the Bartica Magistrates’ Court for June 21.
