A customs broker was yesterday remanded to prison after being arraigned on charges of having unlawful possession of a gun and ammunition.
The allegation against Ryan Busby, 22, is that on January 20, at Main Street, Georgetown, he had in his possession a pistol, without being the holder of a firearm licence.
It is also alleged that on that said day Busby had in his possession eleven 9 mm rounds of ammunition without licence.
Busby, a father of one, pleaded not guilty to both charges when they were read to him by Magistrate Alan Wilson at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Prosecutor Burgett Grant however objected to the accused being granted bail, saying that gun and ammunition were found in his left front pants pocket.
According to Grant, the police were on patrol at approximately 2 am in the vicinity of Palm Court, when they heard a loud explosion, which sounded like a gunshot.
She said that lawmen upon arrival at the scene searched several persons in the area and uncovered the unlicensed items in Busby’s possession.
She said an investigation was subsequently launched into the matter, after which Busby was arrested and charged.
Attorney Glenn Hanoman, who represented Busby, said that the incident which occurred in front of the Palm Court Night Club on Main Street involved a different young man and not his client. He said the young man who should have been placed before the court is reported to have fired a shot.
Counsel said that security guards at the club managed to hold onto that young man but he subsequently escaped. By the time the police were summoned to the scene, the attorney said, the charges levelled against his client were pinned on him, “while the true perpetrator is remains at large.”
Hanoman contended that if the prosecution were to be honest, they would report that the alleged firearm and ammunition were reported to have been in the possession of “someone else.”
He advanced these to be special reasons for his client to be granted his pretrial liberty.
The lawyer, in his bail application, said too that his client had no antecedents, posed no risk of flight and had been cooperating with police investigations.
After listening to submissions from both sides, Magistrate Wilson informed Busby that he would be remanded to prison.
The case continues on January 30.
