Employee, 2 others remanded for Eureka Medical Lab robbery

An employee of Eureka Medical Laboratory is among three men remanded to prison on Tuesday for allegedly carrying out a brazen robbery at the business premises on Thomas Street, Cummingsburg, Georgetown.
Appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts were Reuben Hopkinson, 30, of Farm, East Bank Demerara (EBD); Kacey John, 36, of Eccles, EBD, and Cephyl Drepaul, 37, of East La Penitence, Georgetown.
They are charged with three counts of robbery under arms, contrary to Section 222(c) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.
It is alleged that on June 6, while in the company of others, and armed with a gun, they robbed Tavin Danny and Stephan Dickson of $4M; US$3000; two bottles of cologne valued at G$46,000, and a blood pressure testing instrument valued at $60,000 — all the property of Andrew Boyle, proprietor of Eureka Medical Laboratory.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charge.
While narrating the short facts, the Police prosecutor told the court that at the time of the robbery, Hopkinson was employed with Eureka Medical Laboratory, while the virtual complainants Stephan Dickson and Tavin Denny are employed there as security guards.
It is alleged that Hopkinson is the mastermind behind the armed robbery.
The accused persons have reportedly admitted to committing the robbery while under caution. The matter has been adjourned to July 13.
On the night in question, bandits pounced upon two security guards on the company’s premises, and bound them while they robbed the medical facility. According to a Police report, at about 23:45h, two gunmen approached the guards at the facility and ordered that they be taken to the “boss” office.
Police said one of the guards reported that he was in a guard hut located at the front of the lab, while the other guard was in a guard hut on the eastern side of the building, when he was approached by one of the men, who pointed a gun at him.
The guard told Police the man instructed him not to press the panic button, and he was then taken out of the hut, while the same was done to the second guard, after which they were both forced to open the building.
“On entrance, the perpetrators ordered the guards to take them to the boss’s office, where they were ordered to lie face down on the ground, and the suspects zip-tied their hands behind their backs with plastic zip ties,” the Police statement said.
According to Police, the bandits then carted off a metal safe with an undisclosed amount of cash, and made good their escape in a white Toyota IST motor car bearing number plate PPP 4592, which was parked on the eastern side of Thomas Street, facing north. (G1)