Ramdass multi-million-dollar robbery…
THREE of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) officers, who have been charged in connection with the Dweive Kant Ramdass robbery, were once again ordered to remain in jail when they made their second court appearance yesterday.

Magistrate Fazil Azeez further remanded to prison Leyland Fraser, 24, of 1602 Kaburi Street, Ituni; Gordon James, 28, of 80 Amelia’s Ward, Linden; and Kevon Denny, 29, of 50 ‘B’ Station Street, Kitty, until September 7.

Yesterday, the crowd of relatives and friends of the accused, who gathered at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court, appeared anxious to hear the magistrate’s decision in relation to the granting of bail.

However, much sighing could have been heard in the courtroom after Magistrate Azeez announced his decision to deny the accused their pre-trial liberty.

Prior to proceeding with the case yesterday, Magistrate Azeez informed the Defence team that he was in possession of a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) indicating that the simple larceny offence against the accused would be discontinued and that a new charge was instituted.

Fraser, James and Denny pleaded not guilty to the new charge, namely, larceny by public officer.

Particulars of that charge said, on August 20, being employed with the GPF, they took into their possession $5.8M thereafter stealing the sum of $4.3M from the said sum.

The three accused were however freed of the simple larceny offence which said that, on August 20, at Schoonard, West Bank Demerara, they stole the sum of $4.3M from Shawn Ajeda, property of Azeem Baksh.

In his bail application, Defence Attorney Nigel Hughes said Denny, a cadet officer, has been in the GPF for approximately six years.

Hughes argued that the DPP has publicly admitted its first error by withdrawing the first matter and that the present charge will end up the same way.

According to him, it is because the three accused were conducting their duties that they were able to intercept the bandits.

Hughes claimed that the DPP is relying solely on the information from the three Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers who were charged with the daring $17M robbery and murder of 23-year old Ramdass.

The lawyer also commented that the policemen were subject to threats while in prison because they had to be among the very people that they had charged.

He further pointed out that the Guyana prisons do not have the facilities to protect certain people when they are charged. He sighted the fact that two individuals died in the prisons recently.

Other attorney James Bond told the court that Gordon James has been in the GPF for over eight years while Leyland Fraser has been a serving member for approximately ten years.

Bond remarked that the only true accounting that took place was when his clients lodged the sum of money at the station in the presence of the driver of the vehicle, which was intercepted with the money.

He said no accounting was done prior to the interception hence the charge “defies law and logic.”

Bond is contending that the money that was found could have been tampered with prior to his clients’ dealings with it.

Hughes rejoined that the three accused were in prison for the last week as a result of the DPP’s negligence.

He said it was only after the men have been locked up for a week that the DPP realised that the charge should be discontinued.

The Magistrate however responded that, in any event, larceny of $4.3M is involved.

Police Sergeant Sherwin Matthews, prosecuting, opposed the bail applications on the ground that the main witness, who is known to all three of the accused, would be interfered with.

Matthews also mentioned that the Prosecution is not relying on the information that was provided by the soldiers but that which was given by other individuals, who were not charged.

The Prosecutor said most of the arguments that were presented by the lawyers are for the trial.

He argued that the officers should have lodged everything they found at the station. He further noted that the court ought to take into consideration the serious nature of this offence.

Two other men, Jermaine James, 24, of 80 Amelia’s Ward, Linden and Colin James, of 23 Richmond Hill, Linden, were also charged in connection with the Ramdass robbery.

They pleaded not guilty to a joint charge which said that, on August 24, at Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Eve Leary, they gave false information to Inspector Reid, a public officer, intending to cause him to conduct an investigation which he would not have done if he had known the true state of the facts.

Police Inspector Denise Griffith, prosecuting, said the officers were on patrol duty when they received certain instructions to hold a road block and search for the perpetrators of an alleged robbery that involved $17M.

According to her, the officers responded to this call during which they apprehended two persons with a black bag containing $5.8M.

However, she continued, the officers lodged $1.5M and claimed that was all they found.

She said during the investigation involving the $4.3M, Jermaine and Colin were questioned by Inspector Reid and they claimed that Colin drove motor car PLL 9051, which is owned by Gordon, to Leonora Police Station on August 20.

According to the Prosecutor, this motor car was suspected to have removed the stolen cash.

Griffith said Colin and Jermaine admitted that they lied and that it was Gordon who drove the car to the police station on August 20.

The latter story, she said, was proven to be the truth.

Griffith said legal advice was obtained from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) after which the charges were instituted.