POLICE Cadet Officer Andrew Mingo, 26, of Lot 154 First Street, Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, appeared in Court on Monday, jointly charged with armed robbery.

Before Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton, Mingo and Toney Ogle, 34, of Lot 84 Sideline Dam, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, faced an indictable charge of having, on May 9, being armed with guns, robbed Ramesh Bhagoo of one motor van valued $1.9M, a quantity of gold and diamond jewellery worth $5M and $1.4M cash.

Defence Counsel Ronald Burch-Smith, for Ogle, said he had been in custody since May 14 and was beaten by the Police.

The lawyer said the reason for Ogle being kept for so long is because the Police wanted his injuries to be invisible at his Court appearance.

Burch-Smith said the victim even told the Police that Ogle was not the robber and asked that he be granted pre-trial freedom because of the oppressive treatment he suffered in the lock-ups.

Defence Counsel Nigel Anthony, representing Mingo, noted that he is a serving member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) at Timehri Police Station.

Police Corporal Robert Clement, prosecuting, said the case jacket was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) but has to go back for further advice and the two accused were remanded to prison until June 9.