Two gold miners were yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with robbing a business acquaintance of over $6M worth of cash and raw gold.
The charge against Dominceo Watson and Mark Anthony is that on October 29, at Mazaruni, being armed with guns, they robbed Manael De Araiyo of $4,081,000 and 10 ounces of raw gold valued $2M, which were all the property of Anderson Batista.
Watson, 26, of Lot 102 Strathspey, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and
Anthony, of Lot 100 Melanie, ECD, were not required to plead to the indictable charge of robbery-under-arms when it was read to them by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry before whom they appeared in Georgetown yesterday.
The prosecution’s case is that Watson and Anthony went to the business place of De Araiyo, whom they know, and beat him with their guns, entered the premises and stole the articles mentioned in the charge from a canister.
Prosecutor Michael Grant said that the men went to De Araiyo’s shop under the pretence of being interested in selling raw gold. He told the court that Watson then proceeded to show De Araiyo a piece of raw gold and that as the man was looking at the mineral, they pulled out guns, which they used to beat him. Grant added that they then went into the shop and removed $4,081,000 and 10 ounces of raw gold, worth $2M, from a canister.
Grant noted that the matter was reported and investigations conducted, which later led to the men being positively identified by the complainant at an identification parade.
Grant objected to bail, while citing, among other things, the amount of money involved and the use of a gun in the commission of the offence. He also suggested that because the attack occurred in the Mazaruni and the men reside on the East Coast of Demerara, there is a likelihood they would not return to court to stand trial. He further said that because the men are acquainted with the complainant, there may be witness tampering.
But attorney Peter Hugh, who represented the two men, strongly contested the prosecution’s objections, while insisting that his clients would attend court if granted bail, irrespective of where they live.
According to him, his clients were not at the location of the robbery nor were they in any way involved with the attack.
In those circumstances, he requested reasonable bail, while noting that the men posed no risk of flight, had no antecedents nor pending matters and had been fully cooperating with the police.
The lawyer also complained to the court of his clients being kept in custody for more than five days, in contravention of their right not to be held for more than 72 hours without charge.
Although the magistrate ordered the prosecution to investigate the claim, she informed both men that they would be remanded to prison. Their matter was transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court for November 13.
