Psychiatric patient and repeat offender Raymond Samaroo was yesterday ordered to be re-institutionalised, following his second court appearance for car theft.
The court heard that Samaroo stole a Honda CRV, a Samsung cellphone and $30,000, a total value of $5,055,000, property of Rhonda Joaquin. The carjacking reportedly took place in front of the woman’s property at Garnett Street, Campbellville on August 3.
According to the facts presented by Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones, after jumping into the woman’s parked vehicle, Samaroo attempted to elude the police resulting in a high speed chase. The prosecutor said the accused ran through two police roadblocks, injuring two police officers before crashing the vehicle in a trench at Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara.
The man’s attorney made an application for bail stating that his client suffers from a mental disorder. He presented the court with a medical certificate to show that Samaroo had been an outpatient of the Psychiatric Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital before being transferred to the National Psychiatric Treatment Centre at Fort Canje, Berbice.
However, the prosecution objected to bail being granted noting that the man has a similar matter pending before another city magistrate.
When questioned by the magistrate as to why he is not currently receiving treatment at the National Psychiatric Treatment Centre, Samaroo responded that he got away from the institution.
The man, a former bus driver, was subsequently remanded to prison and ordered to be taken back to Berbice for continuous treatment.
He is expected to return to court on August 20.
Early last month, Samaroo appeared before the court after allegedly stealing a $5 million vehicle, property of Rishi Lall, on June 27, 2015, at Sheriff Street. He was also accused of stealing the same vehicle from the Kitty Police Station on Alexander Street.
According to the prosecution’s case, Lall’s girlfriend was in his vehicle, which was parked on Sheriff Street, when Samaroo jumped in and drove off. Lall’s girlfriend was forced to jump out. The car was later found and taken to the Kitty Police Station.
However, the following day, Samaroo allegedly stole the vehicle from the police station, after which police officers chased behind him and eventually caught him. He was arrested and charged. It was also stated that Samaroo had escaped from a mental health institution one month prior to the incident.
