ROSANNA Gittens, a 35-year-old mother of seven of Lot 4B Tucville Terrace, Georgetown, appeared yesterday before City Magistrate Ann McLennan to face several charges of armed car-jacking committed on August 25 last.Ronaldo McKenzie, 17, of 7C Tucville Terrace; Daniel Bactrim, 17, of Lot 157 Arapaima Street, Guyhoc Park; Mario Rodrigues, 17, of 1A Guyhoc Park; and Christopher Nicholson, 18, of Lot 2 Tucville Terrace have all been charged along with Gittens.

Particulars of the charges they face detail that on August 25 at North Ruimveldt, being armed with a knife, they robbed Hazleton Edwards of a motor car along with a cellphone and two vehicle licences, totalling more than $809,000.

On that same day, at Main Street, they allegedly robbed Troy Peters of motor car PJJ 2435 containing a cellphone and a large amount of cash. They also unlawfully and maliciously damaged the said car, accumulating a total booty from Peters worth $1.38M.

The gang members had been charged indictably, but on application by defence counsel Paul Fung-a-Fat, the Administration of Justice Act (AJA) was applied and all the defendants pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor Deniro Jones informed the court that Bactrim has an arrest warrant out for him in relation to a wounding matter currently engaging Courts 8 & 9, while all the accused persons have matters outstanding at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

Jones noted that the gang members would use its female member to hire a taxi, and they would then pounce on the unsuspecting taxi driver when he reached the destination, and would take away the driver’s car.

The court heard that ranks, acting on a tip-off about the gang having stolen Peters’ car, approach the accused, but they lit the said car on fire to destroy the evidence.

Their lawyer Paul Fung-a-Fat, in his application for reasonable bail, highlighted that Gittens is a housewife who resides with her mother and has a three-year-old child.
His application for bail for his clients was denied, and the five defendants were remanded to prison. They will make their next court appearance on September 18 before Magistrate Fabayo Azore.
(Clestine Juan)