A male carjacker and his female accomplice were on Monday remanded to prison by City Magistrate Leron Daly, for allegedly robbing a taxi driver.

Robert Beckles and Sharda Thomas both pleaded not guilty to the joint charge which alleged that while being armed with a gun on October 26 at Diamond, East Bank Demerara they robbed Lakeram Budburgh of his Toyota primo motor car valued $3M, $10,000 cash and a BLU cellphone valued $15,000.

According Police Prosecutor, Bharat Mangru, on the day in question, the duo went to King of Diamond Taxi Service and boarded Budburgh’s taxi requesting to be taken of 14th Street in Diamond Housing Scheme.

The duo upon reaching 14th Street told the taxi driver that he had passed their destination and request the he turn around. The taxi driver complied and the accused pointed at a house to be dropped and upon disembarking the vehicle, Beckles placed a gun to Budburgh’s head and relieved him of his car with the items inside and sped away.

Budburgh quickly called his taxi base, where drivers set up a road block at the Diamond New Scheme access road; however the duo managed the escape. The taxi drivers continued to give chase behind the car, which subsequently crashed along the Friendship, E.B.D area with Thomas trapped inside. The male accused managed to escape on foot but was later apprehended by the police with assistance by public spirited persons.

Mangru strongly opposed to the duo being released on bail since a gun was used in the commission of the crime. He also pointed out that Beckles is currently being investigated by the police in several criminal matters in the East Bank district.  They were remanded until December 5.