A man allegedly caught by police with an unlicensed gun and a quantity of ammunition was yesterday remanded to prison.
Timothy Taylor, of Timehri Fire Service Area, East Bank Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and a quantity of ammunition when Magistrate Ann McLennan read them to him at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
It is alleged that on January 6, at Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown, Taylor had in his possession a .32 revolver, without being the holder of a firearm licence. He also allegedly had three .32 rounds of live ammunition in his possession on the same day.
His attorney, Collis Baveghems, asked for bail to be granted but was subsequently refused.
Baveghems claimed Taylor was stopped on two occasions by a police van, within five minutes of each other, on Charlotte Street and then on Avenue of the Republic.
He said nothing was found on his client but in one instance the officers stopped him from approaching the vehicle and asked him where he got the gun from without even showing him the weapon that was allegedly found. Baveghems also said that it was only after Taylor was taken to the Brickdam Police Station that he was showed the gun.
He also shared his concern that because Taylor refused to sign a statement claiming possession of firearm, he was slapped with the other charge, possession of ammunition.
Prosecutor Deniro Jones, however, objected to bail, while pointing out that the police’s account of the discovery of the weapon varied from the one given by the lawyer.
He said the police on patrol received information about Taylor being armed with a gun. He was later caught and a search was carried out and the firearm was found in his pants’ waist, he added. He further said it was not until the firearm was taken to the police station that the three rounds of ammunition were found.
Jones also said no special reason was given to the court for bail to be granted and the court upheld his objections.
Taylor is to make his next court appearance on January 13.
