One of four men, who allegedly posed as policemen and robbed a dredge owner at gunpoint, was yesterday sentenced to 18 months in jail after admitting to the crime.
The charge against Dunston Fraser, Deon Giddings, Franklin Adolf and Fabian Mars stated that on August 22nd, at Oku Backdam, Upper Cuyuni River, being armed with a gun, they robbed Reginaldo Moreno. The men reportedly relieved the Brazilian national of a .32 Taurus pistol, valued $210,000 and raw gold, valued $490,000.
Giddings pleaded guilty to the charge of armed robbery, while the remaining trio pleaded not guilty to the offence when they appeared in a city court yesterday.
Fraser was also slapped with three additional charges for unlawful firearm and ammunition possession as well as the possession of cannabis for trafficking,
to which he pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to three years for drug trafficking.
The additional charges against Fraser stated that on August 22nd, at Tamakay Backdam, Cuyuni River, he was found to be in possession of a .32 Taurus pistol with two rounds of matching ammunition as well as 132 grammes of cannabis.
According to the facts presented by Police Prosecutor Dinero Jones, the men went to Moreno’s mining camp and identified themselves as police officers stationed at the Bartica Police Station. Jones further explained that after brandishing the gun, the four relieved the dredge owner of his licensed firearm as well as the raw gold before making a run for it.
However, after being tipped off, the police went to Tamakay Backdam, where they found Fraser hiding out in a bush. A search was conducted on his hammock, where the police reportedly found the gun and matching ammunition. The gun was said to have been positively identified by Moreno as his stolen gun.
Jones explained that after the discovery, a search was conducted on Fraser’s person and a quantity of cannabis was discovered in his pocket.
Magistrate Ann McLennan sentenced Giddings to 18 months in jail while Fraser was sentenced to three years in jail and fined $198,000 on the drug possession charge. Additionally, he was ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 and serve one year in jail on each of the gun and ammunition possession charges. His sentences are expected to run concurrently.
Meanwhile, Fraser, Mars and Adolf were remanded to prison on the armed robbery charge and are expected to make their next court appearance on September 2nd, at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.
