Titus Valenzuela, a youth who says he robbed his boss because his family needed the money, was yesterday sentenced to 12 months in jail after he admitted to the crime.
Valenzuela, 18, a miner of Kuru Kuru, Linden-Soesdyke Highway and Terence Bacchus, 25, a miner of Linden, were jointly charged with two offences.
The first charge stated that on December 27th, 2019, at Takutu Backdam, Cuyuni River, while being armed with cutlasses, they robbed Candacia Ramroach of a phone, valued $58,000.
It was further alleged that on the same day and at the same location, while being armed with cutlasses, they robbed Joe Pinto of $830,000 in cash, a bottle of cologne valued $87,000, a phone valued $5,000 and 14 pennyweight of raw gold, valued $180,000.
Valenzuela pleaded guilty, while Bacchus denied both charges when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield told the court that both men were employed by Pinto, who is a Brazilian national. He is also the owner of a mining operation at Takutu Backdam, Cuyuni River.
The court heard a few days prior to the robbery, there was a “wash down’” at the camp, after which Pinto closed the operation and the workers were sent home for the holiday.
However, Mansfield said Valenzuela and Bacchus returned to the camp, where they tied up the complainants, stole the articles mentioned in the charges and made good their escape.
The robbery was reported to the Bartica Police Station and following the investigation the men were arrested. The stolen articles were also recovered.
The court heard that in a caution statement, both men gave details of how they planned to commit the robbery.
“I robbed him because my family needed the money. My lil brother have to go to school,” Valenzuela said after the magistrate asked him why he committed the robbery.
He also said he relieved Pinto of his phone because he did not want him contacting anyone.
Magistrate McLennan then sentenced Valenzuela to sentences of six months and 12 months in jail for the two offences. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Meanwhile, Bacchus was remanded to prison until January 9th, 2020, when he is due to appear at the Bartica Magistrate’s Courts.
