Two miners, who are accused of ambushing a man on a trail and stealing his All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), were on Monday charged and released on bail when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The miners, thirty-one-year-old Mark Smith of Lot 132 Nelson Street Mocha, East Bank Demerara, and Robin Patrick, 20, of Charity, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and denied the charge when it was read to them.
The charge stated that on December 9, 2019, at Essequibo District, while armed with a piece of wood and cutlasses, they robbed Claudio DaSilva of one ATV motorcycle valued at $3.5 million.
Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield informed the court that on December 9, the Virtual Complainant was on his bike heading to his mining camp when he was forced to slow down on the trail.
The court heard that the two accused, who were hiding in a clump of bushes, ambushed the VC, and dealt him several lashes about his body before taking his bike. The men then made good their escape and the matter was reported to the Mahdia Police Station, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). Following an investigation, the two accused were arrested.
In court on Monday, the prosecutor said that the duo was positively identified by the VC during an identification parade. He did not object to bail being granted but asked for it to be substantial. The men were each released on $200,000 bail. As a condition for bail, they have to report to the Mahdia Police Station once per week until the hearing and determination of the case. The case will continue on January 14, 2020.
