A robbery charge which was “struck out” on Friday due to the absence of the police rank required to swear to the truth of the information in the charge, was read yesterday to ex-convict Winston Long, who was remanded to prison on yet another robbery charge.
The charge was originally brought before Magistrate Leron Daly in Georgetown last Friday but it was dismissed by the magistrate after she stood the matter down twice to await the police constable to no avail.
Although the prosecutors begged the magistrate to defer the matter for a few minutes, she noted that it wasn’t the first time such an incident had occurred and suggested that the police ranks should be sitting in the courtroom awaiting matters for which they hold the responsibility to be heard.
She further said that if such an incident were to ever occur in her courtroom again, the matter would be immediately dismissed. “Why must the court wait on the police?” she questioned as she refused to continue waiting for the constable.
The matter, however, was yesterday bought before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus and the police ranks required to swear to the information in the charge were present.
The charge against Long, 21, alleges that on February 2nd, 2019, at High Street, Georgetown, while being in the company of others, he robbed Sherlock Cummings of $3,000 in cash, a $6,000 cellphone and a $10,000 silver chain.
Prosecutor Adduni Inniss told the court that Cummings, in the company of friends, was on the eastern side of High Street at about 1.30 am on February 2nd when they were approached by Long, who was in the company of three others. Long, it is alleged, proceeded to pull off Cummings’ chain and took the phone and cash out of his pockets and then fled.
Inniss further stated that Cummings later identified Long, who at that time was in the vicinity of Stabroek Market, and informed a police officer, who conducted a search on Long’s person and found the articles that were stolen in his possession. The court heard that Long admitted to the crime and apologised to Cummings for what he had done. After Long initially pleaded “guilty with explanation,” Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus entered a not guilty plea on his behalf based on the explanation that he offered to the court. In his explanation, Long denied facts stated by the prosecutor and claimed that he and Cummings were known to each other and had been drinking at the time of the alleged crime. Inniss, however, told the court that Long and Cummings were not known to each other.
And while Long also claimed that it was his first offence but Prosecutor Inniss noted that he was among the prisoners who escaped from the Lusignan Prison pasture in July, 2017. Long then said that he was on remand at that time due to assault charges brought against him.
Inniss objected to bail based on the facts that the articles were found in the possession of Long, who was subsequently remanded to prison. The matter was adjourned until March 11th, 2019.
Long was previously charged with armed robbery. It was alleged that on December 1st, 2015, at Georgetown, while being armed with a cutlass, he robbed Vishal Doodnauth of $45,000 and a cell phone valued $5,000.
Just days after being released from prison after the armed robbery charge, he was charged with stealing a phone valued $40,000 from the person of Leoni Robinson and a phone valued $80,000 from Elizabeth Ramsahar on February 28th, 2016, at King and Regent streets. He was sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty to the charge.
Long was also sentenced to one year in prison in 2017 after pleading guilty to escaping from lawful custody.
