A Better Hope carpenter was yesterday denied bail after making an appearance before a city court for unlawful possession of a pistol and ammunition, which police say he admitted were his.
Mohan Chandervit, 25, of Lot 3 Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, was read a charge which stated that on December 12th, at Westminster, West Demerara, he was in possession of a .38 pistol without being the holder of a firearm licence. It was also alleged that Chandervit, on that same day and at the same place, had two rounds of .38 ammunition in his possession without being a licensed firearm holder at the time.
The accused pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Chandervit’s attorney made an application for bail, citing several reasons, including the fact that the defendant was not the owner of the house at the address where the articles were found and had no physical possession or control of the items. He further related that the location where the gun and ammunition were found is an active building site and that several persons have access to the building daily.
The attorney explained that on the day in question, it was requested that five of the workers on site stay behind so that work would be completed quickly for the Christmas season. The police raided the building that same afternoon and the workers were arrested.
Prosecutor Deniro Jones objected to the bail application and reported that contrary to the defence’s claim, it had been indicated by the investigating officer that the land did in fact belong to Chandervit. He stated as well that not only did two witnesses say that they saw the defendant with the firearm but there was also a statement from the accused in which he admitted that the firearm was his. Jones reported that the gun was found in a room in the building in the presence of the defendant and four others.
Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, finding that there were no special reasons for bail to be granted to the accused, ordered that he be remanded to prison until December 28th, when he will make an appearance at the Wales Magistrate’s Court.
