Rasville man granted $3.7M bail on armed robbery charges

Dillon English, a 26-year-old father of three, was left stunned after Senior Magistrate Dylon Bess imposed a $3.7 million bail on him for two separate charges of armed robbery.
English, of Rasville in Georgetown, had the indictable charges of robbery under arms read to him on Friday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. It is alleged that on December 20, 2023, in the vicinity of Independence Boulevard and Cooper Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, he robbed Rudolph Yarde of two gold rings valued at $240,000, a gold band valued at $300,000, and $167,000 in cash, while he was with another person and while carrying a gun.
Further, it is alleged that on November 29, in Prashad Nagar, Georgetown, he robbed Qi Li Lin of $8 million in cash, while he was carrying a firearm and was in the company of another person.

Dillon English was not required to enter a plea to either charge.
Defence Attorney Clyde Forde, in making an application for bail on behalf of English, told the court that his client is not a flight risk, and that he is prepared to comply with any terms placed on bail.
While addressing Magistrate Bess, English admitted that he had been convicted of robbery under arms in 2020, and had been sentenced to serve three years in prison. In this regard, the presiding magistrate commended him for being honest with the court.
This publication understands that English has a series of matters of a similar nature pending before the courts.
Police prosecutor Christopher Morris objected to English being released on bail by pointing out the gravity of the crime, the use of a gun in the robberies, and the previous jail sentence English had served for a related offence.
Moreover, the prosecutor related that when a Police rank had attempted to arrest English, he not only resisted arrest, but had attempted to relieve that rank of his firearm.

Attorney Clyde Forde told the court that English had been shot in the leg during an altercation with the Police, but Prosecutor Morris did not give any details in this regard.
Although acknowledging the concerns raised by the prosecution, Magistrate Bess declared himself inclined to grant English bail, but in a substantial amount and subject to the requirement that the defendant report to the Ruimveldt Police Station every Friday.
For the first and second counts, English was placed on $700,000 bail and $3 million bail respectively. February 9, 2024, is his next court date.
Police Constables Julian Smartt and Winston Williams, who had faced bribery charges concerning Qi Li Lin at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts earlier in December, were each instructed to post bail in the sum of $500,000.
They were required to lodge their passports with the Clerk of the Court, and are also required to periodically report to the Brickdam Police Station.
It is alleged that on November 29, at the Prashad Nagar Police Outpost, while being agents of the Government, they attempted to obtain $150,000 from Qi Li Lin as inducement from the said Qi Li Lin to forgo prosecution for the following offences: restriction on use of handheld device while driving; uninsured motor vehicle; and unlicensed motor vehicle; an act relating to their principal duty. It is further alleged that on the same day, Constable Williams obtained $30,000 from Qi Li Lin as inducement from the said Qi Li Lin to forgo prosecution for the above-stated offences – an act in relation to his principal duty.

Both Smartt and Williams have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Constable Smartt, 30, of Guyhoc, Georgetown, and 25-year-old Constable Williams, of Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD), have both been interdicted from duty.
Police Headquarters had reported that after receiving a report of an alleged $8 million robbery committed on Qi Li Lin, a thorough probe carried out resulted in the arrest of Constable Smartt and Constable Williams.
The Police have said that evidence has revealed that these Police Constables had both conspired with the principal offenders to rob the virtual complainant of his property. Police have said they are on the hunt for the principal offenders.
“Detectives have evidence showing Constable Smartt taking the suspects to the crime scene. After the robbery was committed, Smartt and Williams (both of whom were on motorcycles and in uniform) were seen escorting the suspects to an area known as Rasville [in Georgetown],” a statement from the Police Headquarters had said.
The Policemen had initially faced charges related to the heist, but the accusations made against them have been dropped.
An attorney representing one of the Policemen had told this publication that the Police were forced to withdraw the charges due to a lack of supporting evidence. He had reasoned that the Police could file the charge only if they had managed to track down the two masterminds.