Multi-million-dollar robbery: High Court Judge grants accused $450,000 bail

One of two men charged over the August 5, 2021 robbery that occurred at Wallison’s Trading in Kitty, Georgetown, in which gunmen carted off $58 million and raw gold, has been granted $450,000 bail by a Demerara High Court Judge.
Peon Lee, called “Nino Brown”, 35, of Herstelling, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was initially charged with four counts of robbery under arms in August last year. A city Magistrate refused to grant him bail, and he was therefore remanded to prison.
His lawyer, Bernard Da Silva, made a bail application at the High Court, in which he submitted that the next adjourned date in the matter is January 20, which spans almost six months from the time charges were laid.
Given that there has been no disclosure of statements, the lawyer said, this evidentially presents a strong likelihood of further delay to a trial date.
“This extended delay can be properly considered a breach of Article 144 (b) of the Constitution, where the defendant is entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time,” Bernard stated in a Fixed Date Application (FDA).
Also, the lawyer argued that at this stage of the proceedings, his client is also aptly entitled to rely on the presumption of innocence pursuant to Article 144 (a) of the Constitution, and believes that bail favours him on all the charges.
In the FDA, Lee’s lawyer complained that his client is made to endure inhumane conditions of incarceration, which can amount to punishment before trial.
Moreover, the lawyer submitted that his client’s continued incarceration has had a significant economic loss to his family, since he is the only breadwinner thereof.
Conditionalities attached to the bail require Lee to lodge his passport with the court and report to the Providence Police Station every other Friday until his trial ends.

Jailed
Meanwhile, Keyon King, the former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant who pleaded guilty to his involvement in the multi-million-dollar robbery, has been sentenced to three years in prison back in November by Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs.
At his sentencing hearing, a remorseful King, who served in the army for 15 years, told the Magistrate that he got involved in the crime because he was faced with tremendous pressure to support his family, since he is the sole breadwinner.
The ex-solider had explained that he was also finding it difficult to save money to build a house, and as such, he did not think twice when an offer was made to him to rob the establishment. He nevertheless apologised to his family and the GDF.

Also charged
King, 32, of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, was charged along with 36-year-old Delroy “Bug” Jackson of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara and Lee. At the time, Lee was the company’s Chief Security Officer; Jackson was also a security officer.
The charges against Jackson and Lee state that while armed with guns, and in the company of each other, they robbed Francis Santos Lumes of raw gold worth $20M and $38M in cash and other valuables. They also robbed Fernanda Carmichael of an iPhone valued at $350,000 and Wellington Batista Da Silva of a phone valued at $160,000.

Wanted
The Guyana Police Force has issued a wanted bulletin for the driver of the getaway car and two other men, who were caught on CCTV camera robbing the business.
Wanted is Antonio Maraj, also called “Pluckin” or “Thuggy,” of Leopold Street, Georgetown; Agricola, Greater Georgetown; and Buxton, East Coast Demerara. Maraj was one of the persons caught on CCTV during the commissioning of the robbery. Police are also on the hunt for ex-soldier Jamal Hazel, who was also caught on camera. The 24-year-old is from Guyhoc Park, Georgetown.
Also wanted is the driver of the getaway car, Dequan King, also called “Titus”, or “Quanie”, of Lot 20 ‘D’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown.
Police reportedly found the car that was used in the robbery parked outside a house at 435 Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown. Upon searching the premises, Police found and seized several household items. It was reported that neighbours told the Police that the man, who lived there, left for the interior.

Robbery
It was reported that on the day in question, at about 10:00h, three armed men went to the Lot 23 Gordon Street, Kitty, Georgetown business and indicated that they had gold to sell. However, within minutes, they held several staff members at gunpoint and demanded that they open three safes in which the money and gold were secured.
After committing the robbery, the armed men bound and gagged the cashier and two other staff members, 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, detectives went to a house in ‘B’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, 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 King’s home, where a search was conducted in the house but nothing substantial was found. During the search, ranks noticed a “disturbed” piece of land and decided to dig.
It was then that a bucket was found buried, which, when checked, contained $15 million in $5000 notes and an additional $3 million in $1000 notes. The bucket was wrapped in two black garbage bags, while the money was neatly packed in transparent bags. (G1)