Howard Rambarose, accused of three counts of armed robbery, was remanded to prison yesterday after a court was told that his fingerprints were found at the scene of the crime.
The charges against Rambarose stated that on October 31, 2014, at Eighth Street, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, being with another and armed with a gun, he robbed Anasa Charles, Somah Persaud and Meeresattie Singh of a $10,000 cell phone, $500,000 and $40,000, respectively.
Rambarose, 22, denied the charges when they were read to him by Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
In a bail application, attorney Dexter Todd, who represented Rambarose, pointed out that his client was not placed on an identification parade nor was any confrontation held between him and the police. He opined also that no thorough investigation was launched into the robberies.
According to Todd, the charges levelled against his client were trumped up only because he had similar matters pending in another court.
Prosecutor Joel Ricknauth, however, objected to bail for the accused. He said that while no identification parade was held, Rambarose’s fingerprints were lifted from the premises occupied by the complainants at the time of the robberies. He explained that the attack occurred at Persaud’s premises, where she owns a shop. Singh works at the shop, while Charles is employed as a cleaner in Persaud’s home.
The prosecutor said too that Rambarose’s prints were found on a jewellery box at the premises. He said too that not only did Rambarose have similar pending matters before the court but he had also failed to attend court and a warrant had to be issued for his arrest. In the circumstances, Ricknauth said, there is a likelihood Rambarose would not return to stand trial.
Todd, however, said his client was late for the particular hearing when the warrant was issued because he was travelling out of the interior and a family member had arrived late to convey this message to the court.
Rambarose was subsequently informed that he would be remanded to prison until January 23, when the matter would be called for statements.
