Toralva Scipio is now a remanded prisoner after being accused of holding a woman at knife-point and escaping with her cellphone after she refused to hand over her cash.
When Scipio appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts yesterday, he denied that on January 18, being armed with a dangerous weapon, he robbed Saleema Mohamed of an $80,000 BlackBerry smartphone.
The court heard from Prosecutor Bharat Mangru that Mohamed went into the Red Melody Chinese Restaurant to buy food and Scipio subsequently entered the restaurant and placed an order, while securing a seat at a table with Mohamed. The court heard that Scipio then demanded cash from the woman and after she refused to comply with his order, he placed a knife to Mohamed’s neck and relieved her of her cellphone and escaped.
Mangru said after Mohamed reported the robbery to the Kitty Police Station, officers were successful in apprehending the suspect, whom she positively identified. He said too a search on his person unearthed the cellphone.
The prosecutor objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the offence and the penalty attached. He also said Scipio is currently involved in a similar matter before the court.
Mangru’s objections were upheld and Scipio was remanded to prison until February 13, when the case will be called again.
