Despite their pleas to the Magistrate for leniency and to be granted bail, two Georgetown youths were yesterday remanded to prison after being slapped with two counts of robbery under arms charges when they appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates Court.
The defendants, 22-year-old Devon Pattenson also called ‘Black Jesus’, a mason of Lot WW Hadfield Street, Georgetown, and Mario Howes, 18, a horse-cart operator of Lot 475 Rasville, Georgetown made their appearance before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus who read a joint charge to them.
The particulars of the offence alleges that on March 2 at Bourda Market, Georgetown, while being in the company of each other and armed with a knife, they robbed Ronnie Grouper of one Samsung Galaxy S20 cellular phone valued at $160,000, and $170,000 in cash.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.
During the court proceedings yesterday, the prosecutor stated that the virtual complainant is a Belgian national who came to Guyana to visit his wife, and on the day in question went with her to Bourda Market to do some shopping. At about 16.20 hours, the man and his wife were suddenly confronted by the two accused. Pattenson choked him while Howes relieved him of the cash and cellphone. They then ran east through the market whereupon the wife gave chase and saw the young men entering a white Toyota Fielder wagon which immediately drove away.
The matter was reported to the police and the car was intercepted later at D’Urban Street and Mandela Avenue. According to the prosecutor, Howes was searched and $90,000 was recovered. Both men were informed of the alleged crime committed, and under caution they admitted to the robbery.
Meanwhile, a lone charge was also read to Howes which states that on December 15, 2022 at South Road, Georgetown, while being in the company of another and armed with a dangerous weapon which was a gun, he robbed Annika Alleyne of $362,000 in cash, property of Junior Hope. Howes also pleaded not guilty to his charge.
The court heard that the VC in Howes’ lone charge, Alleyne, was at the time at work at Braider’s Hair Salon which is located along South Road, and in the company of her co-worker when the accused and his accomplice entered the salon, held them at gunpoint, and relieved them of the cash. Howes and his accomplice then exited the store and made good their escape on a black motorcycle.
However, as they were escaping, Alleyne attempted to run after them prompting Howes to take the gun from his co-accused and discharge two rounds in the woman’s direction. Howes was eventually arrested after he was apprehended for the committing the second robbery with Pattenson.
After the prosecutor’s statements, the accused were given a chance to speak by the magistrate. Pattenson told the court that he was being wrongfully accused and denied having any knowledge of the robbery. He pleaded with the magistrate to have mercy on him and to grant him bail since according to him, he has a 3-month-old baby and he is the only breadwinner for his family.
However, Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus decided that she will be refusing bail based on the seriousness of the matter and also based on the fact that she was informed by the court that Pattenson was only released from jail on February 20 of this year.
The matter against the men was adjourned until April 3.
