By Paula Gomes
Monday’s session at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts saw a number of arraignments for the offence of armed robbery during the first half of the day.
A 33-year-old taxi driver attached to a popular city taxi service was slapped with a robbery charge which detailed that on September 2, 2017 at King Street, Georgetown, while in the company of another and armed with a gun, he relieved Colin Akra of gold and diamond jewellery valued at $950,000.
It is further alleged that Lester Joseph discharged a loaded firearm at the Virtual Complainant (VC) during the course of the robbery with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm. Joseph was also charged for being in possession of one .32 pistol and five rounds of matching ammunition without being the holder of a firearm licence at the said time.
The accused, who appeared unrepresented before the court of principal Magistrate Judy Latchman, pleaded not guilty to the charges which were read to him by the Magistrate and was remanded to prison on all counts.
Moreover, the accused told the court that he had a matter of unlawful wounding before a court in the North West District (Region One), a matter which Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves seemed oblivious of and the case was adjourned to September 25, 2017 while the authorities at the other end investigate what became of the case, which the defendant admitted that he had not been following.
Meanwhile, Dexter Ray, a construction worker of Agricola, Greater Georgetown, was remanded to prison when his lawyer’s submission for bail did not give rise to special reasons as to why same should be granted.
Ray also appeared before Magistrate Latchman, who read the charge which stated that on September 2, 2017, at Houston Public Road on the East Bank of Demerara, while in the company of others and armed with a gun, he robbed Roxanne John of a quantity of valuables and cash, a total of $50,000 while permanently depriving Mark Josiah of $25,000 in cash on the same day at the said location.
Finally, an East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme labourer also found himself before the court of Magistrate Latchman for an offence of a similar nature. Dellon McLean, a father of five, had reportedly robbed Shenetta Ann Boyce of gold jewellery valued $160,000 on North Road, in Bourda, Georgetown on September 5, 2017.
According to Prosecutor Gonsalves, the accused was positively identified by the victim during an identification parade even as his lawyer, Keoma Griffith, argued that his client claimed no knowledge of the allegation at hand.
The prosecution’s arguments of the seriousness, prevalence and penalty attached to the felonies formed the basis for the bail objection with respect to the named offences above.
The matters are all set to be continued on September 25, 2017.
