Two residents of the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) juvenile correctional centre on the Essequibo Coast were yesterday sentenced to three years imprisonment by Magistrate Esther Sam when they appeared at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court.
A 16-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons and and Jay-z Halley, age 17, were arrested on Wednesday and charged with robbery with aggravation committed on Ivelaw Lynch age 58 years who is employed as the second Administrative Manager at NOC at Onderneeming.
According to the police, the incident occurred on Sunday 20th August at the NOC Compound when the two stole one BLU cellular phone valued $5000 and one bunch of keys valued $40,000, a total value of $45,000.
The court heard that the youths approached Lynch with a piece of wood, threatened him and then stole the above mentioned articles. The charge was laid under section 222 B of the Criminal Law Offences Act Chapter 8:01.
They were not represented in court by an attorney of law and both pleaded guilty to the charge. After considering the matter, Magistrate Esther Sam sentenced both to three years imprisonment.
The 16-year-old who will be 17 on September 12th, cannot be placed in prison because he is a minor.
Magistrate Sam said that he should return to the NOC until that time but Prosecutor Haimwant Ramsewak expressed concern that the teen may escape the institution and asked that he be kept in the custody of the police instead.
The request was granted and teen was taken to the Aurora Police Station where he will be kept until September 12th.
