BURGLARY and drug defendants Mark Roberts, 29, of Lot 274 John Smith Street, Campbellville and Devon Peters (no address given) were among a trio remanded to prison yesterday.

Roberts pleaded not guilty to break and enter and larceny, committed on May 13 at the dwelling house of Kamani and Nandram Chatterpaul from where gold jewels valued $489,200 were stolen.

Nandram told Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson, before whom Roberts appeared that the latter is his neighbour and he and his wife returned home to find their door open.

He said, while checking around the house, he found the defendant hiding under a bed upstairs and Police took him away.

Police Corporal Munilall Seetaram, prosecuting, said the booty was recovered from the defendant’s pants pocket.

The Prosecutor opposed pre-trial freedom for him because he had been on $10,000 station bail and failed to report back until he was re-arrested.

Roberts will remain incarcerated through June 8.

Keon Smith, 19, of Lot 17 Second Street, Annandale, East Coast Demerara, who made his appearance in the same Court, pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody at the Camp Street prison, also in Georgetown, last May 15, when he was a prisoner convicted of robbery under arms.

But, after he claimed he did not jump over the fence at the penitentiary but was in the compound after hours with the intention to escape, the magistrate entered a not guilty plea and ordered a trial for him in another Court.

Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton also denied bail to Peters on a charge of trafficking a narcotic.

He pleaded not guilty to the offence, particulars of which said, on May 22, he had six grammes of cocaine in his possession for the purpose.

His case will be called again on October 19.