Taxi driver remanded for robbery under arms

A taxi driver was remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for armed robbery.
Harry James, of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, denied the charge when it was read to him on Friday.
It was alleged that on July 3, 2018, while in the vicinity of Alliance, Canal Number Two, Wes Bank Demerara, and while being in the company of others and armed with a gun, he robbed businessman Rabindra Sumdhat of $792,000 along with a quantity of gold jewellery.
According to the facts presented to the court, on July 3, at about 02:00h Sumdhat was sleeping in a hammock under a shed in his yard when he was confronted by two men armed with handguns. The gunmen demanded that he hand over all his valuables.
The bandits then took the businessman inside his house and relieved him of cash and other valuable items.
It was further alleged that Sumdhat was gun-butted by the gun-toting bandits but was able to disarm one of the men during the process. One of the gunmen fired two shots in the air.
Two live 9mm rounds were found at the scene and an unlicensed .9mm pistol allegedly taken from one of the two armed suspects during a struggle with the businessman. The men fled in a waiting vehicle.
However, Police were able to apprehend the men at Leonora, West Coast Demerara.
The men along with the driver were arrested and taken to the Police station where the motor car was impounded.
However, only the taxi driver has been charged so far, as investigations continue. The case was transferred to the Wales Magistrate’s Court and will continue on July 12.