A South Rupununi farmer was yesterday remanded to jail after being charged with unlawful possession of ammunition.
Pirmikwa Mouaka appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a charge that he had six 12-gauge cartridges in his possession without being the holder of a firearm licence, on October 28, at the Lethem Multipurpose Complex.
According to his attorney Jed Vasconcellos, Mouaka had left his home in Konashen, South Rupununi in search of employment.
However, after his searches proved unsuccessful, he decided to journey to neighbouring Brazil to visit friends. Vasconcellos explained that it was while his client was in a taxi destined to Brazil that the car was stopped at the border and a search of the vehicle was conducted, resulting in the ammunition being found.
The lawyer further stated that Mouaka was not the only occupant of the taxi at the time the discovery was made and he did not acknowledge the articles mentioned in the charge to be his.
As a result, Vasconcellos made an application for reasonable bail to be granted. He also noted that Mouaka is the breadwinner for a family of eight, with his youngest child being nine months old.
But Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones objected to bail. Challeng-ing Vasconcellos’ account, he said the ammunition was found in the crotch of Mouaka’s pants during the search.
He further stated that no special reasons were given for bail to be granted.
In the end, the Chief Magistrate agreed that no special reasons were given for bail to be granted and, therefore, the accused will remain on remand until December 16, when the matter will be called at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court.
