Curtis Vasconcellos and Orwin Peters, who on separate occasions were charged last month with the robbery and attempted murder of businessman Neezam Khan, on Monday made an appearance at court but the preliminary inquiry into the charges against them could not begin because the police files were not completed.
Vasconcellos, 21, of 22 First Street, Agricola, had sustained a gunshot to his right hand during the June 6th shootout, at the Grove Public Road. The wounds were still in bandages on Monday.
Both men are charged with discharging a loaded firearm at Khan with intent to kill, while robbing him of a $200,000 gold chain and a $500,000 gold ring, on June 6th, at Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara. Peters, 21, of Bagotstown, was also charged with having in his possession seven .38 rounds without being a licensed firearm holder and being in possession of seven grammes of cannabis on June 10, at Bagotstown.
The defendants, who were unrepresented, stood motionless as Prosecutor Neville Jeffers sought an adjournment on Monday.
Jeffers said that the files were incomplete and he asked Magistrate Ann McLennan presiding in Court 2 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, for a short date for the commencement of the proceedings.
Although Khan was absent from the hearing, prosecutor said that the virtual complainant is very much interested in the matter and he will be present for the next hearing.
After completion of the files, the charges are likely to be merged and the duo will answer to the charges of attempted murder and robbery jointly, Jeffers said. The defendants were ordered to return to court on July 31st.
An eyewitness had related to Stabroek News that four men were seen in the Grove area on the day before the robbery; however, only three returned to rob the businessman.
The witness said that one of the men created a roadblock by sitting on his parked motorcycle in the middle of the road, while the other two proceeded to rob Khan when a shoot-out ensued. Vasconcellos was wounded during the episode, while an accomplice, Michael Grant, 18, of Third Street, Agricola died before receiving medical attention.
Peters had escaped on a motorcycle from the scene but he was subsequently arrested after police received information which prompted them to stop the accused on a motorcycle he was riding in Bagotstown. During that stop, police allegedly uncovered the ammunition on the defendant and the cannabis which was concealed in his pants crotch.
