2 remanded for armed robbery, discharging loaded firearm

Two men have been remanded to prison following their arraignment before acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus on Tuesday at the Georgetown Magistrates Courts.
Akeem Bourne and Michael Cumberbatch, both 28-year-old residents of Lot 2 Rasville, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, have been charged for allegedly committing armed robbery and discharging a loaded firearm.
It is alleged that on June 27, at Riverview, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Bourne and Cumberbatch, while armed with a firearm, robbed Tyron DeGrutt of a Samsung cellphone valued at $25,000 and Dillon McRae of a Samsung Galaxy cellphone valued at $35,000.
Further, it is alleged that on the same day and location, Bourne discharged a loaded firearm with the intent to cause disfigurement or grievous bodily harm to businessman Travis Farley.

It is further alleged that on June 28, at Norton and Chapel Streets, Lodge, Georgetown, Bourne had a 9mm pistol along with three matching rounds in his possession while not being the holder of a firearm licence.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and the Police prosecutor has objected to bail being granted Bourne by citing his known history with the Police and his alleged status as a serial offender.
Consequently, the court has remanded both men to prison, and the case will continue on July 26.
According to reports, Farley and his 23-year-old reputed wife were inside their shop, located in front of their Riverview, Ruimveldt home, when they noticed the two men approaching from the western direction on the Main Road at Riverview, Ruimveldt. As the men reached the shop, one of them pulled out a handgun from his waist and fired a round in Farley’s direction, but Farley was not hit.
In response, Farley and his wife quickly sought safety by running into their yard, even as the suspects fled the scene on foot, heading east of Riverview, Ruimveldt, and continuing south on Ruimveldt Public Road.
The incident was reported to the Police, and the following day, acting on information received, Police arrested the two suspects at Norton and Chapel Streets Lodge, Georgetown. Bourne was allegedly found in possession of a 9mm pistol and three matching rounds without a valid firearm licence.
In 2018, Bourne was one of two men who were found by the High Court in Berbice not guilty of the murder of a Whim Village businessman in 2012. Elton Haynes, a former Policeman of Manchester Village, Corentyne, and Bourne, who lived at Whim Village, Corentyne, were on trial in the High Court for murdering Winston Ragnauth, 56, of Lot 2 Whim Public Road between November 6 and 7, 2012, during the course of a robbery.
When the mixed jury, after close to two hours of deliberation, had returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty, the two men had run out of the court with smiles on their faces after Justice Sandil Kissoon had told them they were free.
The prosecution had argued that Haynes had killed Ragnauth by slashing his neck, while Bourne had allegedly been involved in the planning. The defendants had provided confession statements to the Police, which had been accepted as evidence by the court.
However, both men had claimed that the statements were not given voluntarily. Haynes had escaped from custody, but was later re-arrested, and Bourne had alleged that he was coerced into signing a statement after being beaten by the Police. (G9)