Essequibo man sentenced to 2 years for possession of illegal shotgun

Magistrate Crystal Lambert, presiding in the Bartica Magistrate’s Courts on Thursday, has sentenced 29-year-old Ron Williams, a miner of Post Office Street, Queenstown, Essequibo Coast, to serve two years’ imprisonment for the illegal possession of a shotgun and ammunition.
Arrested by the Police on Valentine’s Day with an unlicensed 12-gauge shotgun and three live cartridges, Williams was charged with the offence of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition; and he pleaded guilty to the charges when he appeared before Magistrate Lambert, and was thus sentenced to two years in prison and fined $200,000.

According to reports, on the day in question, at about 15:05hrs, Police ranks were on patrol duty at Arimu Main Road in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) when they stopped motor pick-up GXX 5497, which was at the time being driven by Williams. A 22-year-old male passenger was sitting in the front seat of the said vehicle.
The ranks requested to search the vehicle, and Williams indicated that he had a firearm in the vehicle. The ranks examined the 12-gauge, single-barrel shotgun and found that its serial number had been filed off, but it contained three live cartridges.
Williams, who admitted ownership of the firearm, was told of the offence committed, cautioned, arrested, and escorted to the Bartica Police Station.