Seven Guyanese—five men and two women—have been remanded in St Vincent and the Grenadines until February 4, 2013, over conspiracy to commit burglary, The Vincentian newspaper reported in its online edition yesterday.
The names of the seven were given as Rizwan Mohamed Meerza, Kevin Orindio McLennan, Aslam Mohamed Kayum, Surendra Sookdeo, and Devindra Singh, along with females Savitrie Sookraj and Gangadai Sookdeo.
The report said that the seven appeared before Senior Magistrate Sonya Young on Wednesday and faced three counts of conspiracy to commit the offence of burglary.
According to the report, the accused were met with ATM related devices which the Police suspected would be used to commit fraudulent activities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The indictments flowed from investigations by the police, following the arrival of the Guyanese at the E.T Joshua Airport on Sunday. Among the items in the visitors’ possession were 314 data cards, two scanners with cameras, two red handle pliers, a magnifying glass, two data card readers, cords, a drill, X-ray paper, and a Toshiba laptop, the report said.
Prosecutor Nigel Butcher objected to bail for the seven on the grounds that they were non-nationals and therefore presented a flight risk. Butcher also stated that one of the accused named Palm Island as the place he intended to stay, and when asked how he was going to reach there, indicated that he planned to get there by car.
The report said that lawyer Grant Connell, acting for the accused, argued that not knowing how to get to Palm Island did not deem that person a flight risk. The defence lawyer further said that even though the accused were foreigners, if they provided necessary sureties and could ensure that they turn up for courts, bail should be granted.
Magistrate Young, however, observed that the persons had no “ties to the community.”
The Magistrate then remanded the seven into custody until February 4, next year and reminded them that they were open to apply to the High Court to secure bail.
Magistrate Young also told Connell that if the prosecution was ready before February 4, she was willing to accommodate them.
