Hijackers slapped with abduction, robbery charges

Two young men have been remanded to prison over a series of charges, including abduction and armed robberies committed last week.

Hamza Samuels, called “Bad Coolie”, a 22-year-old resident of ‘D’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, and 18-year-old Emmauel Hale, also of ‘D’ Field Sophia, appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court via Skype before Magistrate Ruschelle Liverpool.
These two, along with two others, were arrested last Thursday and charged jointly on Monday with three counts of robbery under arms laid under Section 222(c) of the Criminal Law Offences Act, Chapter 8:01. In addition, they were charged for the offence of abduction committed on Joshua Singh, under Section 4 of the Kidnapping Act, Chapter 10:05.

These charges were read to the two accused, and they both pleaded not guilty. They were remanded to prison until October 7, 2022.
Samuels and Hale were among four bandits — two of whom were shot, and one of whom has since died — who were nabbed by Police last Thursday morning during a dramatic chase that led to the rescue of a taxi driver whom they had abducted.
According to Police reports from the incident, ranks at the Brickdam Operations Room had received a telephone call that a white Allion with several persons inside had committed a robbery on Lamaha Street, Georgetown. As a result, anti-crime patrols were alerted, and one of the patrols observed the motor car in question driving along the Agricola Access Road.
That anti-crime patrol attempted to intercept the vehicle as it reached the Two Brothers Gas Station, but it sped away, resulting in the patrol pursuing it.
The Police related that the car was travelling at a fast rate of speed when it suddenly made a turn onto Hunter Street to head in the direction of Mandela Avenue.
The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, and it collided with the barriers and came to a stop on the corner of Hunter Street and Mandela Avenue, Georgetown.
Thereupon, four males exited the car and began to run away from the scene.
It was reported that shots were fired by the men as they attempted to escape, and the Police responded by discharging rounds in the men’s direction. A search was later conducted in the area, and one suspect, Rawle Franklin, was seen lying on the parapet bleeding from injuries he had sustained, while another accomplice, Andrew Newyear, was seen lying in a nearby yard with injuries as well.
A 9mm pistol with a magazine containing three live rounds of matching ammunition was found at the scene.
Meanwhile, the cops also disclosed that while at the scene, they heard sounds coming from the trunk of the suspects’ car, and upon inspecting, found Joshua Singh.
The car used by the bandits had been hijacked from Singh, a driver attached to the Shamo Taxi Base at Vryheid’s Lust Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara.
Singh told investigators he was in the driver’s seat of his uncle’s car, PSS 2705, when he was approached by three men, one of whom pointed a gun at him and ordered him out of the car.
He said he complied, and the men ordered him to go into the trunk of the car, where they locked him in.
The taxi driver recalled the vehicle driving for some time before he felt the car crashing into something, after which there were loud explosions, suspected to be gunshots.
Franklin and Newyear were escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they were both receiving medical attention under Police guard until Newyear passed away later in the evening. Franklin is said to have since been hospitalised.
Hale and Samuels were also found by Police hiding in a nearby yard that morning. After his arrest, the 18-year-old allegedly confessed to the Police that he and the others had gone on a robbery spree in Georgetown on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, and were reportedly heading on the East Bank of Demerara in search of more targets when they were intercepted by the Police. (G8)