TWO men were remanded to prison on Monday after appearing before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman for being in possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Jason Augustine, 28, and 24-year-old Kevin Bobb-Semple denied the charge which alleged that last Friday at Croal Street, they had in their possession a black-and-silver 9mm pistol they were not licensed to carry.

Augustine’s attorney sought bail, on the grounds that the firearm was found in a car that was occupied by other persons, and not on her client’s person.

Bobb-Semple’s attorney, Glen Hanoman put up a similar defence, saying that the gun was found in a bag in the back seat of a car.

The police prosecutor objected to bail, given the seriousness of the offence, whereby on the day in question, Bobb-Semple was at the wheel of the vehicle, PNN5156, and Augustine riding ‘shotgun’ when Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) ranks intercepted it and found the weapon on the back seat.

The prosecution said, too, that Bobb-Semple initially gave a caution statement, while Augustine admitted orally to owning the gun.

Hanoman, however, countered that the caution statement may very well favour his client, and that as such he should be granted bail.

In the end, both men were refused bail and remanded to prison until November 12, 2018.