No bail for Brazilian pilot, miner found at illegal mining camp

Two Brazilian nationals, identified as Alexander Felix and Luan Ricardo Braga Silva, who were found at an illegal mining camp last week were charged and remanded to prison when they appeared before Magistrate Alan Wilson at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Felix, a father of two and a pilot of Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was charged with operating a civil aircraft without an airworthiness certificate, operating an aircraft without insurance, interfering with an aircraft, and illegally entering Guyana. To these three charges, he pleaded not guilty.
Silva, on the other hand, was charged separately with entering Guyana illegally.
Felix, 54, was represented by Attorney-at-Law Kezia Williams, while Silva, a father of one and a miner, was unrepresented. Their trial will commence on March 16 and will continue on March 18.
During a bail application for Felix, his Attorney told the court that her client has an unblemished record and would abide by any conditions attached to bail.

But the Police Prosecutor raised serious objections to the defence counsel’s bail application, alluding to the serious nature and penalty attached to the charges Felix is facing. The Police Prosecutor submitted that because Felix did not have strong ties to Guyana, he was a flight risk. In the end, the defendants were refused bail and remanded until their trial.
When the trial gets underway, the prosecution intends to call a total of seven witnesses. According to reports, the men were arrested on February 19 after illegal mining sites were found at the New River Triangle, South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) reported that its ranks destroyed an illegal mining camp and seized a helicopter and several other items in the New River Triangle.

According to the report, the soldiers had gathered intelligence on the mining operation, launched a search of the New River Triangle, and arrested Felix and Silva.
Upon seeing soldiers, several others fled the camp into the surrounding jungle.
The illegal mining camp was secured and cleared by members of the GDF. A shotgun, 10 cellular phones, a generator, mining equipment, passports, identification cards, and a bank card were recovered. A quantity of equipment was seized, and mining tunnels were destroyed.
The GDF had said that the operation was conducted over a period of four days, involved two officers and 27 of their ranks, and was supported by the Air Corps.