Unable to provide the court with his full address, a man facing a robbery charge was remanded yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Devon Baptiste, 20, allegedly robbed Mahindra Pooran of a BlackBerry cellphone, valued $40,000, on January 18, 2012.
Baptiste was not required to plead to the indictable charge of robbery when it was read to him by Magistrate Alan Wilson. He allegedly committed the robbery together with another person.
When asked to furnish the court with his address, the unrepresented Baptiste just responded “Lodge.”
After being pressed by the court for a proper address, the young man told the magistrate that he lived at “Norton Street, Lodge.”
When further asked about his lot number, Baptiste told the court that he had only recently moved into the area at his father’s residence and was not familiar with the full address. He said that he previously resided with his mother at 294 Self Help Housing Scheme, East Ruimveldt.
He then added that he is a miner and also resides in the interior, where he conducts his trade.
Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick made an application for the accused to be denied bail, noting that he failed to provide the court with a proper address. Further, Bostwick said that the complainant had positively identified Baptiste, whom he had “ample time to observe” after the commission of the offence.
Magistrate Wilson subsequently informed Baptiste that he would be remanded to prison since he failed to show that he has a fixed place of abode. The magistrate explained to the young man that the difficulty the court would have if it were to grant bail is the uncertainty of where he could be found if needed by the police.
The case is to be called again on January 30.
