3 charged, remanded to prison

Fish depot robbery

The three bandits who allegedly broke into Wild Caught Fresh Fish Depot at Meadow Bank, Greater Georgetown were on Tuesday charged with robbery under-arms.

One of the bandits who was apprehended while hiding in the ceiling
One of the bandits who was apprehended while hiding in the ceiling

Marvin Blackman, 25, of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara; Neesan Benny, 40, of Bushy Park, Parika, and Jason Brotherson of Garnett Street, Kitty, all appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It was alleged that on December 2, at Meadow Bank, Blackman, Brotherson and Benny, while being armed with a dangerous weapon, robbed Shane Robin of $560,000 in cash and fishing equipment, a total value of $2,560,000.

The trio pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Blackman and Benny were represented by Attorney Adrian Thompson, who made bail applications on their behalf, which were denied as the prosecution objected.

The defendants were remanded to prison and ordered to return to court on January 6, 2017.

On the day in question, one bandit was shot while another was apprehended and a third made good his escape following the robbery.

The injured bandit was shot to both of his legs by Police ranks who responded to the report of a robbery at the fish depot about 00:45h. The bandit who was apprehended at the site was found hiding in the ceiling by the lawmen.

At the scene last Friday morning, an eyewitness explained that he was about to head to the front of the building when he heard a scream from the supervisor, Shane Robin, and as he looked around, he saw one of the bandits running towards the bushes with a bag he had collected from the two other bandits, who were already in the building. Robin was reportedly gun butted and had to receive medical attention.

He immediately raised an alarm and the security guard rushed to the scene and without hesitation, contacted the Police. Within minutes, he noted, two Police Officers arrived.

An employee, who requested anonymity, told Guyana Times in an earlier report, that she was at home when she received a telephone call from the supervisor informing her that the depot had been robbed and the bandits were still in the building.

She explained that when she arrived, the Police had already shot one to the legs and they were trying to get one who was hiding in the ceiling. After some time, the Police managed to get him.

The employee further explained that the men gained entry to the building by climbing through a window. “The window was grilled, but the men loose off the grill and entered… They then made their way to the office area and broke one of the doors to get into a supply room,” she noted. She explained that from all indications, they were trying to get the contents of the safe in the boss’s office. The safe was already out of the office, but they could not open it. “After they realise the Police arrived, they left it in the passageway and went into hiding,” the woman stated.