Berbice man who walked into Court with cutlass asking for Magistrate jailed
A man who walked into the compound of the Whim Magistrate’s Court brandishing a cutlass and asking for Magistrate Renita Singh was on Tuesday sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.
Julius Anthony Mootoo, 39, of Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice, was arraigned before Magistrate Ravindranauth Singh on charges of causing public terror and carrying an offensive weapon.
Julius Anthony Mootoo
The Police have said that on August 9, 2021 at about 8:00h, Mootoo entered the compound of the Whim Magistrate’s Court via the front gate with a cutlass concealed, posing as a person attending court. However, upon entering the compound, the suspect brandished the cutlass and enquire about the whereabouts of Magistrate Renita Singh.
Upon seeing this, the clerk of court raised an alarm and summoned the Police, who immediately intervened and secured all the persons in the compound. The ranks reportedly made attempts to arrest the man, but he managed to escape.
Nevertheless, on August 13, acting on information received, Police went to Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant, and, after an hour’s surveillance, the suspect was spotted with a cutlass in his hands. He was arrested and taken to the Whim Police Station, where he was profiled and placed in custody.
The two cutlasses that Mootoo had in his possession on August 9 and 13
Subsequently charged, he appeared before Whim Magistrate Ravindranauth Singh and pleaded guilty to the charges read to him. As such, he was sentenced to spend the next 18 months in prison.
