Men wanted for $58M Kitty gold heist previously charged for spate of robberies

Antonio Maraj and Jamal Hazel – two of the three men who Police say were caught on CCTV footage snatching $58 million in cash and gold from Wallison Enterprise, Kitty, Georgetown, two weeks ago and for whom wanted bulletins have been issued – were previously charged with a spate of armed robberies dating back to 2017.
Reports show that at just age 19, Maraj appeared before the courts and was remanded to prison for allegedly robbing a man at gunpoint. The charge had alleged that on November 2, 2017, at D’Urban Backlands, Georgetown, while armed with a gun, he robbed Wes Matthews of an iPhone valued at $65,500 and $5000 in cash.
At that time, the prosecutor had opposed him being released on bail on the basis that he was positively identified by the virtual complainant. Two years later in 2019, Maraj also called “Pluckin” or “Thuggy” was slapped with a similar charge. This time around, he was however, released on $100,000 bail.

It was alleged that on August 17, 2017, at D’Urban Street, Georgetown, while being in the company of others and armed with a gun, he robbed Kester Peters of a phone valued at $48,000, a gold ring valued at $127,000, and $50,000 in cash.
In February 2020, he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with three counts of robbery under arms. However, two of the three charges were dismissed against him that same day after the victims indicated that they did not wish to proceed with the matters.
He also faced another charge which stated that on February 8, 2020, at Leopold and Breda Streets, Georgetown, he assaulted Police Sergeant John Mohamed to prevent the lawful apprehension of Kennedy Fraser.
And earlier this year, Maraj and another man, 35-year-old Ryan Chung of Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD), were charged over allegedly robbing a housewife at gunpoint. It was reported that at the time of the robbery, one of them was clad in Police uniform.
They pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on May 25, 2021, at Land of Canaan, EBD, while in the company of each other and armed with a gun, they robbed 53-year-old Desiree DeFreitas of one Samsung Galaxy S9 cell phone valued at $160,000. Both of them were released on bail by the presiding Magistrate.
According to reports, the housewife was sitting in her verandah on her cell phone when a man dressed in Police uniform entered her yard.
Another man then approached the woman, held her at gunpoint, and demanded that she hand over her valuables. He attempted to force the woman into the house and when she resisted, he hit her on the head with the gun and snatched her cell phone.
The men then made their escape in a waiting motor car.
Meanwhile, in January 2019, Hazel, 24, was charged and remanded to prison over a $5 million armed robbery committed on Andrea Purdessy at Pere Street, Kitty, Georgetown. But the charge was dismissed after the complainant refused to offer evidence against him.
The previous year, he was arrested and charged for a string of robberies carried out around Georgetown. The first charge alleged that on January 10, 2018, at North Road, Bourda, Georgetown, while being in the company of another and armed with a gun, he robbed Boodram Hemraj of one weeding machine, valued at $100,000.
It was alleged that on January 13, 2018, at Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, Hazel had in his possession nine rounds of .38 ammunition and at the same time he had in his possession a .38 pistol when he was not the holder of a firearm licence.
The unlicenced firearm charge was later dismissed after the prosecution failed to prove the elements of the offence.

Kitty heist
Last Tuesday, 32-year-old Keyon King, a GDF Sergeant, Delroy “Bug” Jackson, 36, and Peon Lee also known as “Nino Brown”, both security officers attached to the Willison Enterprise, were charged for the multimillion-dollar robbery.
They were charged with four counts of robbery under arms committed on Francis Santos Lumes, Fernanda Carmicheal, and William Da Silva.
The court heard that they robbed Lumes of 60 ounces of raw gold valued at $20 million and $38 million in cash, a gold chain worth $140,000, and a gold ring valued at $60,000. Carmichael was relieved of his cell phone valued at $350,000. Da Silva, on the other hand, was robbed of a $60,000 cellular phone.
After pleading not guilty to the charges, the trio was remanded to prison.
It was reported that on the day in question at about 10:00h, three armed men went to the Lot 23 Gordon Street, Kitty business and indicated that they had gold to sell.
However, within minutes of entering the establishment, they held several staff members at gunpoint and demanded that they open three safes where the money and gold were secured.
After committing the robbery, the armed men bound and gagged the cashier and two other staff after which they locked them in a room. Moments after escaping in a white motor car, the cashier managed to free herself and raise an alarm.
The Police were called in and immediately one of the two security guards was arrested. Based on intelligence and information received, the detectives went to a house in B Field Sophia where they conducted a search and found some personal items belonging to the owner of the business.
There, another security guard was taken into custody. The security guards were, however, interrogated during which one of them confessed to being part of the plot to rob the establishment.
Following leads, the detectives turned up at the home of the GDF Sergeant at Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), where a search was conducted in the house but nothing substantial was found.
During a search in the yard, the detectives noticed a disturbed piece of land and decided to dig. It was then a bucket was found buried, which, when checked, contained $15 million in $5000 notes and an additional $3 million in $1000 notes.
Also last Wednesday, Police found the car that was used in the robbery parked in front of the home of Dequan King who Police have named as the getaway driver.
It was reported that King called “Titus” and “Quanie” of Lot 435 Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, has left for the interior. His neighbours told Police that prior to leaving, he took home a truckload full of household items, which were purchased the day after the robbery.
Like Maraj and Hazel, King is also wanted by the Police. Maraj’s last known addresses are Leopold Street, Georgetown; Agricola, Greater Georgetown, and Buxton, East Coast Demerara. Hazel is last known to be residing at Guyhoc Park, Georgetown.