Alexander Williams, who police say was found wearing a $500,000 chain he had minutes earlier stolen from another patron at GuyExpo, is now a remanded prisoner.
Williams, of 296 Ramsingh Street, ‘B’ Field, Sophia, yesterday pleaded not guilty to the crime when he was arraigned. He was among three persons charged yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court with robbing GuyExpo patrons.
It was alleged that on October 4, at the Sophia Exhibition Site, Williams stole a gold chain, valued at $500,000, from Balram Shivraj.
Prosecutor Bharat Mangru told the court that Shivraj was at GuyExpo with his friends when Williams and another person went up to him and snatched his chain.
Mangru said that an alarm was raised and police officers conducted a search for Williams. He said that Williams was later identified by Shivraj at another part of the ground wearing the stolen chain.
Mangru objected to bail based on the seriousness and prevalence of the offence. He also stated that when arrested, Williams did not provide any address to the police.
As a result, Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, who presided over the arraignment, refused bail and the matter was adjourned until October 24.
Meanwhile, Orin McKenzie, 32, of Paradise, East Coast Demerara and Gavin Hinckson, of 185 Pike Street, Kitty, were also refused bail after they were charged with using a chopper to rob a GuyExpo patron of his smartphone.
Both pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them.
It is alleged that on October 5, at Sophia, the duo robbed Dhanraj Latchman of a BlackBerry smartphone valued $33,000.
Prosecutor Bharrat Mangru told the court that on the day of the crime, Latchman was at GuyExpo when two men approached him with a chopper and demanded that he hand his cellular phone over. Mangru said that Latchman then gave his phone to the two assailants.
He added that plain clothes police gave chase after an alarm was raised by Latchman and caught both assailants. The phone was also recovered.
When given a chance to speak, McKenzie told the court that he had no knowledge as to why he was standing in court. “Yuh honour, when I reach to the station, they collect the phone from the man. Them ain’t find nothing pun me. Meh na know wha I doing here,” McKenzie said.
Bail was refused and both parties were remanded to prison until October 21, when the matter will be called again.
