Eighteen-year-old Triston Chapman, a car wash employee, was on Tuesday slapped with a robbery with violence charge when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Faith Mc Gusty at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Police stated that Chapman along with four others attacked and robbed Evan Moses of a Samsung A20 phone and $8,000 in cash along Princes Street, Georgetown.
The victim claimed that he was struck multiple times in the face during the robbery. Moses later identified Chapman and the other attackers thus leading to the recovery of the stolen phone.
Remanded: Triston Chapman
Appearing in court unrepresented, Chapman pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecutors objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the offence, its prevalence, and the severe penalties attached to such crimes. The Magistrate agreed and remanded the accused to prison.
Chapman claimed in his defence that he was not the sole perpetrator, blaming the attack on the influence of bad company. Despite his statements, the court noted the violent nature of the crime and ruled against his release on bail.
This case follows another high-profile robbery last week in which 17-year-old Carl Rolland Reid was shot and killed by a security guard during an attempted robbery on Aubrey Barker Road.
Reid and an accomplice, armed with a toy gun, reportedly targeted a woman and her daughter before the guard intervened, resulting in a fatal exchange of gunfire. The accomplice remains at large.
The rising trend of violent robberies has sparked calls for stricter measures to address crime in Georgetown. Residents are urging authorities to address both the causes of youth involvement in crime and the escalating use of violence in robberies. Chapman’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 15, 2025.
