A who pleaded guilty to 11 charges involving the use of a gun was yesterday sentenced to a total of 51 years’ imprisonment, though he will only serve five years as the sentences will run concurrently.
Dondre Devon Marques, who was shot in his eye by police after he was caught on the scene of a robbery at Grove, East Bank Demerara in December, was charged with five counts of robbery under arms and four counts of discharging a loaded firearm at policemen. Additionally, he was charged with having in his possession a firearm and with having10 matching live rounds while not being the holder of a firearm licence.
Marques was initially slapped with five charges in December when he appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore at the Providence Magistrate Court. He was remanded to prison until yesterday.
The 21-year-old Marques of Lot 3414, Stevedore Housing Scheme returned to court yesterday, before Magistrate Leron Daly, where the six additional charges were read to him. He then pleaded guilty to all of the charges.
Magistrate Daly sentenced him to five years on each count of armed robbery and discharging a loaded firearm at policemen and three years each on the charges of possession of a gun and possession of ammunition.
The court was told that on Decem-ber 13, at Grove Housing Scheme, Marques along with another and armed with a gun, robbed Cheryl Embrack of a variety of articles worth $632,000. He was also accused of robbing Colin Semple on the said day. On November 20, Marques held Dracaena Melville at gunpoint and stole all her gold jewellery, a cellular phone, and cash. He is also accused of robbing Jacquelyn Melville and Candacy Samuels of a quantity of articles. The prosecution told the court that the stolen items valued $1.3 million in total.
During the robbery on December 13, police responded from the Diamond Police Station, but came under attack from the men. They opened fire and Marques was shot in the left eye. He was then arrested and taken to receive medical attention and later charged.
