A 62-year-old East Coast Demerara miner is now a remanded prisoner after he was charged yesterday with the illegal possession of a pistol and several rounds of live ammunition.
Charged was Chandradat Satram, of Lot 28 Fernandes Street, Enterprise, East Coast Demerara.
The first charge, which was read to the accused by acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus in Georgetown, stated that on January 17th, at Mode Hole, Cuyuni River, Essequibo, he had a Beretta 9 mm pistol in his possession without being a licensed firearm holder.
It is further alleged that on the same date, the accused was in possession of 11 live rounds of 9 mm ammunition.
Satram pleaded not guilty to both charges.
According to police prosecutor Quinn Harris, around 2.30 pm on the day in question, ranks from the Eteringbang Police Station were on patrol duty when they intercepted a boat with several occupants, including Satram. A search was carried out on the accused and the weapon and ammunition were allegedly found in his waistband. As a result, he was arrested.
Prosecutor Harris later objected to bail being granted based on the seriousness and prevalence of the crime.
The defendant’s attorney, Mark Conway, however, requested that his client be granted bail. He noted that on the day of the search his client was aboard a vessel, owned by his employer, with 10 fellow co-workers. He said the weapon and ammunition were found in the boat.
Bail was, however, denied and Satram was remanded to prison until March 18th, when the matter is to be heard at the Kamarang Magistrate’s Court.
