Two taxi drivers and a minibus driver were yesterday remanded to prison after they were charged with a $5.3 million larceny from a car.
Alwin Solomon, a 34-year-old taxi driver of Timehri, Asif Khan, a 54-year-old taxi driver of Belle West, Number Two Canal, West Bank Demerara, and Route 42 minibus driver Linston Grimmond were read a joint charge by Magistrate Judy Latchman in Georgetown.
The charge alleged that on February 26th, at Alexander Street, they stole $5 million, 49 rounds of ammunition, a computer bag and a $350,000 phone, which were the property of Insanally Bacchus.
The trio denied the charge.
Solomon was then read a second charge, which alleged that he had in his possession 49 rounds of ammunition, without being a licensed firearm holder, on February 27th at Brickdam.
He also pleaded not guilty to this charge.
Prosecutor Arvin Moore noted that on February 26th, the complainant parked his car and went into a store, and was later alerted by someone who observed the men breaking into it. The prosecutor added that in relation to the second charge for Solomon, the rounds and over $600,000 were found in the defendant’s car.
Attorney Dexter Todd, in association with Adrian Thompson, appeared on behalf of Solomon, while attorney Tiffany Jeffrey represented Grimmond. The attorneys made bail applications on behalf of the defendants, with Todd telling the court that his client is not a flight risk and was never placed on an identification parade. He also noted that with his client being a taxi driver, there were a number of persons that were in and out of his vehicle. Todd noted that when his client’s vehicle was stopped by the police, it was searched by officers while he was placed in a squad car. He said Solomon was later taken to the station in the said police vehicle, while three ranks drove his car.
Attorney Jeffrey also told the court that her client was not placed on an identification parade and ought to be granted reasonable bail.
However, police prosecutor Moore objected to bail being granted to either of the accused men, noting the seriousness of the crimes and the fact that no special reason was presented for bail by the attorneys.
Magistrate Latchman, after hearing from both the prosecutor and the defence lawyers, denied the attorneys’ bail applications and remanded the trio to prison until March 19th, when the matter is slated to continue.
