Two East Canje, Berbice men were last week each sentenced to four years in prison after they pleaded guilty to robbing several persons at a Canefield Settlement beer garden and supermarket back in April.
Sylvester Joseph, 33, of Lot 173 Victoria Street Cumberland Village, and Christopher Rampersaud, 40, of Canefield, were both charged with the armed robbery of Tara-mattie Seelochan, 54, a businesswoman of Lot 1165 Canefield Settlement, and several others.
The attack was carried out on April 11th.
The men, who had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge, changed their pleas to guilty on Wednesday last, when they appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court. They were subsequently sen-tenced to four years in jail.
It was alleged that while armed with dangerous weapons, they robbed Seelochan, owner of ‘Indra’s Beer Garden’, of $300,000 cash, a gold finger ring valued $80,000, a cellular phone valued $20,000, and an iPhone 6 valued $120,000. They were also charged with robbing her husband, Premchand Seelochan, of two gold finger rings valued $64,000, a silver band valued $125,000, a wrist watch valued $17,000; and the couple’s son, Neil Seelochan, of an iPhone 6S valued $140,000, an NUU cellular phone valued $10,000, and $40,000 in cash.
Additionally, the men were charged with robbing Aditiee Rambudhan of nine gold finger rings, valued $109,000, an engagement ring valued $65,000, two pairs of gold bangles valued $200,000, a gold band valued $35,000, three gold chains valued $125,000, a gold cricket band valued $60,000, $110,000 in cash, and a Samsung cellular phone valued $88,000.
The men were also charged with robbing Fizal Latiff of $10,000 cash and a Samsung Galaxy S5 cellphone, valued $25,000; Rohan Deonarine of three gold chains valued $200,000, and an iPhone 6 valued $120,000; and Andre Beerbhajan of a Toyota Allion car valued $1.9 million, an IPhone 6 valued $65,000, a gold chain valued $125,000, and a silver band valued $120,000.
Rambudhan, Latiff, Deonarine and Beerbhajan were all customers who were present at the beer garden when the men invaded the premises.
Meanwhile, a third person, Ashley Bonita Drepaul, 22, of Lot 192 Main Street Cumberland Village, East Canje, Berbice, was also charged with participating in the attack but the charges against her were dismissed.
She was arrested and charged after a stolen item was allegedly found in her possession. It was also discovered that she shared a close relationship with one of the accused.
Additionally, Rampersaud was also charged in April for a robbery committed on March 16th on a New Amsterdam businessman. It was alleged that Rampersaud, while in the company of others and armed with a gun, robbed Robin Busgith of a Toyota car valued $1 million, $3.7 million in local currency, US$1500 and a cellphone.
