TROY Abrams was yesterday sentenced by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to five years’ imprisonment for robbery committed on money-changers Rayburn Fraser and Osaffo Ward in America Street on November 3 last year.The charges against his alleged accomplice, Anthony Primo, were discharged because he was one of the 17 prisoners who perished on March 3, after they were trapped in a raging fire in the Capital ‘A’ Block of the Camp Street Prison.

Abrams was charged on two counts of robbery under arms committed on November 3 at America Street, Georgetown. The charges detailed that Abrams and Primo robbed the money changers of a total of Gy$1.6M.

Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones, had called several police and civilian witnesses, including the two victims, Ward and Fraser, who said they were conducting their trade when a white car was seen coming through Avenue of Republic into America Street. Shortly after, approximately 10 gunmen daringly rode up on motorcycles and opened rapid fire on the money changers, while grabbing millions of dollars from them. The gunmen allegedly succeeded in carting off millions in both foreign and local currencies. Several AK-47, M70 and 9mm spent shells were recovered from the crime scene.

According to Ward in his testimony, Abrams drew an AK-47 from a bag and pointed it at him and said “Pass meh the money before ya get shoot”, before he rode off with the cash.

When an identification (ID) parade was held by police on November 7, 2015, Ward had positively pointed out his attacker due to a scar on his attacker’s face. Abrams was pointed out by Ward because of the scar Abrams has on his chin, but Ward had failed to mention the scar in his statements.

The magistrate placed no weight on Ward’s testimony, stating that the parade was ‘unfair’ and the evidence was weak; but she ruled in favour of the evidence of the other victim, Fraser.

In Fraser’s testimony, he explained that he had known the two accused because he had conducted business with them before. A case of recognition was therefore established, and no ID parade was needed.

Nevertheless, when Abrams was called to lead his defence, he gave the court the alibi that he was with his girlfriend in East La Penitence watching the movie ‘Soul Food’ during the time the crime was allegedly committed.

However, when Abrams’s girlfriend testified in court, during cross-examination by the prosecutor, she was asked if she had ever watched a movie by the name of ‘Soul Food’, and she said she said she had never watched it.

The Chief Magistrate ruled in favour of the prosecution and found Abrams guilty of the charge of robbery committed on Fraser, and not guilty on the charge of robbery of Warde.
In her ruling, the magistrate considered the factors: the seriousness of the offence, penalty, need to prohibit others, and the fact that the crime was well planned and executed.