Jamal Haynes, the former Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd employee, who was sentenced last year to a total of six years in jail for charges stemming from the attempted robbery of the Bank’s Water Street branch, had a firearm-related charge dismissed against him yesterday.
Haynes, who was among four other men charged with the July, 2017 attempted robbery of Republic Bank, was before Magistrate Leron Daly on a charge which alleged that on July 4, 2017 at Water Street, he discharged a loaded firearm at Constable 22707 Joseph, with intent to maim, disfigure or disable.
The matter, which came to an end yesterday, saw the Magistrate not calling upon the accused to lead a defence since the prosecution had failed to prove all aspects of the case.
Subsequently, the matter against Haynes was dismissed.
On July 14, 2017, Haynes, of Lot 4 Norton Street, Wortmanville, along with Keron Saunders, of 59 Burnham Boulevard, Mocha, another bank employee, Shawn Grimmond, of 137 Pike Street, Kitty, Police Constable Gladstone George, of Lot 55 Princes Street, Lodge, and Rural Constable Anfernee Blackman, of 65 Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt were read a joint charge which alleged that while being armed with firearms, they attempted to rob Republic Bank on July 4, at Water Street, Georgetown.
While the others had pleaded not guilty to the charge, Haynes pleaded guilty and was later sentenced to two years for the crime. He was also charged and pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, and holding a bank employee hostage.
Haynes was also sentenced to four years for the firearm charge, four years for the ammunition charge, and fined $90,000 for each charge. The two sentences are running concurrently, meaning that he will serve a total of four years for the two charges. These charges will run consecutively with the two years for the attempted robbery charge.
Haynes was also fined $100,000 or a default sentence of six months in jail for the charge of holding a bank employee hostage.
Though his matters at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court are complete, Haynes has a robbery matter before the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.
The suspected mastermind of the botched heist, Elton Wray, also known as ‘Peas’, 25, of Eccles, East Bank Demerara, was fatally shot while trying to flee the bank after the shootout ensued.
