Curtis Vasconsellos, an attempted murder suspect, was yesterday charged with armed robbery.
Vasconsellos, 25, of Agricola, East Bank Demerara, was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Courts.
It is alleged that on February 2, 2021, at Houston Public Road, East Bank Demerara, while armed with a gun, he robbed Suw Romaman of $25,000 in cash and a cellphone valued $110,000. He denied the charge and was released on $150,000 bail.
The matter was adjourned until February 28.
Attorney-at-law Dexter Todd who represented Vasconsellos told the court that his client was not arrested in relation to the current charge. Todd said that the man was arrested by police after they conducted a raid at Agricola. He also told the court that his client was charged for attempted murder and was released on bail by the High Court. Todd then asked that his client be released on reasonable bail and assured that should bail be granted, the man will attend court.
The police prosecutor told the court that on day in question Romaman stopped at Houston to make a delivery. She said that while he was exiting his car, his phone rang and he answered. During this time Vasconsellos approached him and discharged a round which hit the man’s left knee. Vasconsellos allegedly demanded that Romaman hand over the phone and then went to the man’s car and removed the cash.
The prosecutor said that after the matter was reported, a raid was conducted at Agricola where Vasconsellos was arrested. While there were no objections to bail made by the prosecutor, she asked that the Magistrate institute a 7pm to 5am curfew and that the man report to the police station every Friday at 9 am.
Vasconsellos and an accomplice were involved in a shoot-out with a businessman in 2015. The report stated that the two were attempting to rob the man. His accomplice was shot and killed during the incident, while he was injured and remanded to prison for attempted murder. He was later released on bail after Todd made a bail application at the High Court.
