Youths fined for stealing gold, silver from dredge owner

Eighteen-year-old Miguel Daniels and his 20-year-old accomplice Alension Joseph, both miners, were on Friday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer a charge of robbery-under-arms.
The charge stated that on March 28, 2019, at Balata Backdam, Mazaruni River, Region Seven, (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), while in the company of others and armed with a knife, they robbed Andre Francis of 2.2 penny weight of raw gold, a gold scale and quarter bottle of silver, all at a total cost of $82,000.
The unrepresented duo admitted to the offence, and Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield told the court that on March 28, the virtual complainant had “washed down” his dredge and reported a production of 2.2 pennyweight of raw gold. However, at about 23:42h, the VC was asleep when he was awakened and confronted by the two men, who attacked him. The VC tried to resist, but was overpowered, and Daniels and Joseph picked up the bag containing the items and made good their escape.
The matter was reported to the Kamarang Police Station, an investigation was launched, and the duo were arrested. They admitted to the offence and were later charged.
In a plea of mitigation, both defendants told the Chief Magistrate that they had mistaken the VC for someone else who had stolen money from them, and they were acting to get it back.
The Chief Magistrate fined both Daniels and Joseph $7000 each. Failure to pay the fine would result in either serving three months’ imprisonment.