A serial robber, who is no stranger to the courts, was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment on Tuesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after pleading guilty to eleven counts of armed robbery.
Travis Payne was sentenced by Magistrate Annette Singh after he changed his not guilty pleas to guilty. The 26-year-old clothes vendor of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, appeared before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus in June after he was charged for the series of armed robberies. Payne was also charged for escaping lawful custody and intentionally discharging a firearm.
The first four charges detailed that during the month of October 2018, at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Rawle Ramnarine, Mohamed Ishmael, and Colin Edwards of phones and other articles valuing a total of $428,000. He also escaped from the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost while in custody for armed robbery.
It was alleged that on May 23, 2019, at Tucville, Georgetown, he discharged a firearm at Roxcell Nepal with the intent to maim, disfigure, or cause grievous bodily harm.
It was further alleged that on April 12, 2019, at West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Faith Desouza of a phone valued $48,000 and on January 21, 2019, at Castello Housing Scheme, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he robbed Angela Caesar of a purse valued at $13,000 while being in the company of others and armed with a gun.
The last four charges stated that on January 30, 2019, at Kitty, Georgetown, while being in the company of others and armed with a gun, he robbed Randy Simons, Michael Agrica, Terrence Parke, and Ronaldo Etwaroo of phones and cash totalling $632,000.
During the court proceedings, one of the armed robbery charges was dismissed against Payne, after one of the victims told the court he did not wish to proceed with the matter.
The Magistrate sentenced Payne to three years each for the 10 charges, however, the sentences will run concurrently so Payne will only spend three years behind bars.
