Venezuelan who threatened to kill woman during robbery remanded

A Venezuelan man who allegedly threatened to kill a woman during a robbery was on Wednesday remanded to prison after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan remanded Wilfredo Jose Castelo when he appeared before her and denied that he robbed Sharron Cartier on October 19, 2019 at Thomas Hill, Mabaruma, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini), while being armed with a knife.
Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield told the court that on October 19, the victim was walking going home when the 29-year-old man pounced on her armed with a knife.
The court heard that the Venezuelan man placed the knife to the woman’s throat, threw her to the ground, and threatened to kill her. Castelo is accused of relieving the woman of her bag. The matter was reported to the Police and he was arrested and placed in an identification parade. The prosecution is contending that the Virtual Complainant (VC) positively identified Castelo.
In an application for bail to be denied, the prosecutor told the court that the Venezuelan man had no ties to Guyana and would not return for his trial if granted bail. The prosecution’s submission was upheld and Castelo was remanded to prison.
The case will continue on November 18 at the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court.