Two Albouystown men, accused of trailing then robbing a man after he left a city bank, were refused bail yesterday on a charge of armed robbery.
Mark Prince and Reagan Singh, called ‘Turtle,’ were charged jointly with robbing Herman Bello of a shoulder bag, two phones, two Venezuelan passports and $488,000, all amounting to a total value of $728,000, on February 17th, 2017, at Lamaha Street, while being in the company of others.
Police say that Bello, who is an employee at Versa Drilling Company, went to Scotiabank on Lamaha Street and withdrew $488,000. On his way back to his car after the transaction, Prince, said to be armed with a gun, allegedly approached him and demanded that he hand over his shoulder bag the money and other items inside. Prince then allegedly made good his escape in an awaiting car that was allegedly being driven by Singh.
Prince and Singh pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to them by Magistrate Leron Daly.
Prince also faced a separate armed robbery charge. It was alleged that on January 21st, at Blygezight Gardens, Georgetown, while being in the company of others and armed with a gun, he robbed Gobin Sooknanan of $365,000.
Police say that Sooknanan withdrew money from the GBTI Bank in Diamond, East Bank Demerara. He then boarded his car and left the bank but made a stop at Herstelling to make a payment. The man then left Herstelling and drove to his Blygezight home, where he was allegedly ambushed by Prince and was robbed.
Prince denied the charge.
Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru objected to Prince and Singh being released on bail, while citing the nature and gravity of the charges against them.
Magistrate Daly subsequently remanded both men to prison and adjourned the matter until March 10th.
