Two men who were charged with robbery under arms and possession of firearm and ammunition without licence were remanded to prison after they appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine–Beharry yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The allegation is that on April 18, at Georgetown Dwayne Henry of Lot 12 Corney Street, Annandale and Austin Adams of Brushe Dam, while being armed with a gun robbed Elvin Alert of a Samsung cell phone valued $20,000, a Nokia phone valued $20,000 and $18,000.
It was also alleged that on the said day at the same location they robbed Alert of a Toyota Allion car HC1720, valued $2,700,000 property of Vladimir David.
Henry and Adams who were unrepresented by an attorney were not required to enter pleas to the indictable armed robbery charges.
On the same day at Cummings Lodge, it was alleged that they had in their possession one live round of .38 ammunition and a firearm without being the holders of any firearm licence. They pleaded not guilty to these two charges.
Police Prosecutor, Corporal Kerry Bostwick stated that on the day in question at about 11:30 hrs, the defendants approached Alert, a taxi driver at the Stabroek Market, and requested that he take them to South Ruimveldt.
Bostwick related that the men entered the vehicle and Alert drove them to their desired destination. While there, he said, the men lashed Alert with a gun in his head and drove away with the vehicle.
Bostwick added that a few days after the incident, the police, acting on certain information, spotted the car in Sophia and gave chase. The driver lost control of the car and drove in a ditch. The men were apprehended by the officers and told of the offence.
Bostwick objected to bail on the grounds that the alleged robbery was committed with a gun. He pointed out the seriousness of the offence and the punishment it attracts if the defendants are found guilty.
He said the court was not provided with any special reasons as to why the defendants should be released on bail on the firearm and ammunition charges.
The two matters which occurred at Cummings Lodge will be called again at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court on April 26 and the other two matters that occurred in Georgetown will continue at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on April 29.
