Confession allegedly links 4 to violent Corentyne robbery – court hears

Police have said that they have obtained statements allegedly linking three of four men to the violent robbery of a Corentyne businessman and his family, including what the prosecution described as a confession in which one of the accused reportedly implicated himself and the other three men, and detailed the roles they allegedly played.
The disclosures were made on Tuesday when Steve Tsoi, 21, called “Timmy”; Mohan Panchoo, 21, called “Leon”; Cristopher Mendonca, 23, called “Chris”; all of Alness Village; and Derwin Hawker, 24, of Nurney Village, appeared virtually before Magistrate Tuanna Hardy at the Albion Magistrate’s Court.
Each was charged with three counts of robbery with violence, contrary to Section 222(a) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.
The indictable charges were read to the four accused, who were not required to enter pleas.
The charges stem from the violent robbery at Lot 445, No. 1 Road, Corentyne, Berbice, where businessman Narinedutt Ramnarine, called “Passy”, and members of his family were attacked by masked men.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Police Prosecutor Corporal Leon Jones strongly objected to bail, citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offence and the prosecution’s contention that a firearm was used during the robbery.
“One of the accused is currently before this same court for a similar offence,” Jones told the court as he urged that the quartet not be released on bail.
Central to the prosecution’s objection, however, were statements Police say were obtained during their investigation and which allegedly connect several of the accused to the robbery.
“Hawker provided a statement to the Police implicating himself and the other three accused in the robbery,” the prosecutor told the court.
Jones said investigators also obtained what he described as a confession statement from Panchoo which went further, allegedly identifying the involvement of all four men and the roles each played.
The prosecution also alleged that Tsoi made an admission to investigators when he was taken into custody.
“When Tsoi was arrested, he told the officers that he did commit the robbery along with others,” the prosecutor told the court.
Jones relied on those alleged statements, together with the nature of the offence and the alleged use of a firearm, in asking the court to refuse bail to all four men.
After considering the prosecution’s submissions and the circumstances presented to the court, Magistrate Hardy refused bail and remanded Tsoi, Panchoo, Hawker, and Mendonca to prison.
The four are facing three charges each, corresponding with three members of the Ramnarine household who were allegedly robbed during the attack.
One charge alleges that the men robbed 51-year-old Ramnarine of GY$3.5 million in cash.
A second charge relates to Ramnarine’s 30-year-old daughter, Jayadevi Ramnarine, who was allegedly robbed of a gold ring valued at GY$112,000.
The third alleges that 31-year-old Monica Balgobind was robbed of a quantity of gold jewellery valued at GY$362,500.
The charges follow a terrifying ordeal for the family when five masked men reportedly stormed their No. 1 Village home while several family members, including three young children, were there.
Ramnarine, a livestock dealer, had previously related that screams were heard outside the house before he went to investigate and was confronted by masked men armed with firearms and cutlasses.
The businessman said he was ordered to lie face down and was beaten about his back, hips and head before being forced inside the house.
“They ordered me to lie face down on the ground. I couldn’t do anything. They beat me about my back, hips and head before forcing me inside the house,” Ramnarine had recalled following the robbery.
The attackers repeatedly demanded money and forced the businessman to take them to where cash from his livestock operations was kept.
Ramnarine had explained that buying and selling cattle, sheep and goats requires him and others involved in the business to keep substantial sums available to conduct transactions.

Shouting for help
His daughter, Jayadevi, had said she was downstairs with her mother and two children when the attackers entered the yard.
She began shouting for help but said one of the men rushed towards her and ordered her to remain quiet. She was then forced to lie on the ground while other members of the group searched the house and demanded money from her father.
As the attack unfolded, Jayadevi said she could hear her father being beaten while the men continued demanding that he tell them where the money was kept.
“I could hear them beating my father while asking where the money was. I kept begging them not to hurt him and told them to take the money and leave us alone,” she had related.
Jayadevi said she was slapped repeatedly and struck with a cutlass as she attempted to protect the children. One of the children was also reportedly struck during the ordeal and sustained a minor injury to a finger.
The women were also relieved of jewellery, with Jayadevi’s anniversary ring allegedly pulled from her finger.
According to the family, the men demanded car keys and discharged rounds in the yard.
Several more shots were reportedly fired as they escaped, damaging vehicles at the property. One vehicle was left with a shattered windscreen and bullet impact marks on its bonnet, while another had a bullet impact mark on a rear passenger-side door.
The four accused are scheduled to return before Magistrate Hardy on August 18.