A father of two battling renal failure on Wednesday pleaded with the court to consider his health and grant him bail on an illegal possession of a semi-automatic weapon charge.
The court heard that on February 20 at Lot 196, Block 3 Green Acres, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), Rajendra Harrichand had in his possession a quantity of .9mm ammunition and a semi-automatic pistol. The 39-year-old man denied the charges when it was read to him by Magistrate Fabayo Azore.
The prosecutor in objecting to bail told the court that Harrichand should not be placed on bail owing to the seriousness of the crime. He also stated Harrichand had confessed to Police that he used the item for protection and obtained it from a “Spanish man”.
However, Harrichand’s attorney in a bail application told the court that if the confession were true, it could be that the man did not understand the line of questioning on account of him being illiterate. The court was also informed that Harrichand was suffering from renal failure and as such, had to report to hospital for dialysis every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The defence attorney presented Harrichand’s medical records to the court in support of his bail application. The Attorney-at-Law also informed the court that his client had a party at his house, just a few days prior to the Police’s discovery, hinting that one of the partygoers could be guilty of the offence.
Harrichand was placed on $150,000 bail on the condition that he lodge his passport and report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters every Friday. The case will continue on March 21.
