2 accused gunmen released on $60,000 bail each

Twenty-eight-year-old Royston Thompson and 35-year-old Travis Hazel were each granted bail in the sum of $60,000 by Magistrate Faith McGusty on Wednesday when they appeared virtually at the Linden Magistrate’s Court to answer to the joint charge of robbery under arms.

Thompson, of Lot 176 Wisroc Housing Scheme, Wismar, Linden, and Hazel, also called “Fifty”, of Lot 25 Silvertown, Wismar, are accused of robbing Julian Jones of $4 million; Yonette Allicock of four pennyweight of raw gold valued $60,000, a Samsung Galaxy smartphone valued $15,000 and Francine Pinto of a gold and silver cricket band valued $60,000 and a Samsung Galaxy smartphone valued $40,000.
The home invasion occurred on May 23 at the Block 22 Wismar home of the Virtual Complainants (VCs). The men are expected to make their next virtual court appearance on June 22, 2020.

Reports are that three gunmen invaded the home at approximately 05:30h on Saturday. According to reports, Jones, who is a gold miner, gave his reputed wife the $4 million for her sister to secure after returning from the interior last month. The woman’s sister reportedly told investigators that she kept the money secured in a black garbage bag which she hung on a wall in her bedroom. She disclosed that she was in her bedroom sleeping on Saturday when she was awakened by two armed men, who held her at gunpoint, demanding cash and jewellery. The woman told investigators that the gunmen then started to ransack the house. During this time, the other victims heard the commotion and ventured up to the upper flat of the house, and the gunmen turned their attention to them. During the ordeal, one of the gunmen reportedly dealt the gold miner’s reputed wife a lash to her left shoulder while demanding cash and jewellery.
Thereafter, the suspects discharged a round into the ceiling of the house, which caused the woman who feared for her life to go into the bedroom where she handed over the bag containing the cash. One of the gunmen then proceeded to relieve the other victims of their valuables before they all ran out of the house, making good their escape. The suspects discharged several shots while fleeing the scene. A report was later made to the Police, who then launched an investigation into the incident. Ranks reportedly recovered two 9mm spent shells and a warhead fragment at the scene. Several persons were questioned by Police, which led to the arrest of three men, including Thompson and Hazel. A 19-year-old student of the Linden Technical Institute (LTI) was also taken into custody for questioning in connection with the robbery, but was later released. Hazel is no stranger to the courts. In May 2019, he was freed of the September 2018 murder of 55-year-old Lindener Leroy Barron at Co-op Crescent, Mackenzie, Linden.