The seven men who are the main suspects in the abduction of Joshua David appeared yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court where they were granted bail.
Wayne Barker, 34, of Lot ‘G’ Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown; Aaron Alleyne called ‘Cats’, 26, of Lot 9 West La Penitence, Georgetown; Davantai Mars called ‘Sharkie’, 21, of Lot 148 Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown; Damion Barlow, called ‘Dangles’, 32, of Lot 47 Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown; and Dwayne Griffith called ‘Sheik’, 24, of Lot 68 William Street, Kitty, Georgetown appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty where they were jointly charged with abduction of Joshua David called ‘Bricks’ which occurred on September 26 on Main Street, Georgetown.
The men were not required to enter a plea.
The prosecutor, Inspector Jones, objected to bail on the grounds that the police had received information that the victim was murdered and the search for the body was ongoing. The prosecutor also told the magistrate that the police have CCTV footage that captured the accused in the commission of the crime, and also eyewitnesses to the crime. However, the magistrate overruled the prosecutor’s submissions citing that the crime was a bailable offence under the Act and that the police have not found the victim’s body.
The magistrate subsequently granted the accused $500,000 bail each with the condition that they report every Friday between 08.00 hours and 16.00 hours to the DDO or Station Sergeant at the Brickdam Police Station.
The case was then postponed to November 13.
Meanwhile, Osafo Peters and Alpha Poole also appeared before Magistrate McGusty for a second time. On their first appearance last Friday, they were charged with abduction, contrary to Section 4 of the Kidnapping Act and remanded to prison. The Magistrate yesterday threw out those charges and the duo was jointly charged with the aforementioned five suspects and were also placed on $500,000 bail each
According to their attorney, Everton Singh-Lammy, it was the task of the police to provide the evidence against his clients and he emphasised that they were not seen in the video footage that is circulating on social media.
The magistrate then requested that the video be played for clarity but the court staff experienced technical difficulties and the video could not be played. Lammy-Singh maintained that his clients are innocent.
The other five suspects were represented by attorneys-at-law, Damien DaSilva and Siand Dhurjon.
As part of the investigation, a police search team on Tuesday ventured into the Annandale backlands, on the East Coast of Demerara, but came up empty-handed.
Officers from Regional Divisions 4A and 4C had also searched the Buxton backlands without success.
The abduction of David was captured on camera by an eyewitness in a vehicle who then forwarded the video to reporters on Monday. In the video, five men could be seen pushing David across Main Street as he attempted to fight them off.
It is unclear why city security cameras did not pick up the car after it moved off from Main Street.
A group of about 70 persons gathered in front of the New Thriving Restaurant on Main Street on October 3 in a candlelight vigil and issued a call for David’s safe return.
