Three persons were on Tuesday charged in connection with the armed robbery committed at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) office in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) last month.
Thirty-two-year-old O’Neil Lampkin, a construction worker of Sheet Anchor Village, East Canje, Berbice; 25-year-old Damion Morgan, of Fort Ordinance, East Canje, Berbice; and 27-year-old Shkeel Grant, a businessman of Asylum Street, New Amsterdam, Berbice, appeared before Magistrate Faye McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
They were not required to plead to the indictment and were each granted $500,000 bail. The matter has been transferred to the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court and comes up again on October 24.
The armed robbery was committed at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) office in New Amsterdam, Berbice, on September 13, 2023.
Police had reported that an alleged robbery with violence was committed at the RDC building at Vryman’s Erven in New Amsterdam, Berbice on September 13.
Suresh Sooknanan, a security officer, had told investigators that he was on duty at the RDC guard hut when four unidentifiable men entered the compound by scaling the fence behind the building.
He stated that they dealt him one blow to his forehead with an object, causing him to sustain injuries. He also claimed that his hands were then tied behind his back. Duct tape was placed over his mouth to silence him.
The Police said at the time, Sooknanan claimed that nothing was taken from him. He was left in the guard hut while the men disappeared.
The men, however, made their way into the building and cut open a grilled door where some 40 million in cash was being kept. The money was transported from Georgetown to pay part-time workers in the region.
The Police were alerted and upon arriving at the building, checks were made and two windows to the Accounts Department were seen open, and upon inspection, they realised that the money was stolen.
Meanwhile, later that day, Police came into contact with suspected bandits at Heathburn, East Bank Berbice, and a shootout resulted that left one bandit dead, while two were subsequently arrested.
