MARRASHA David, 30, was sentenced to a total of nine years imprisonment on Tuesday, after being convicted of robbery under arms and
illegal possession of a gun and ammunition. Before Magistrate Tejnarine Ramroop, at Albion Court, Corentyne, Berbice, the defendant pleaded guilty to all three charges and got a
three years sentence on each, to run concurrently.
The prisoner, of Lot 20 ‘A’  Mattai Street, Rose Hall, Corentyne, had been charged jointly, with his reputed wife, Gail Batson, who
pleaded not guilty to having a .32 semi-automatic pistol and two live matching .32 rounds, without licences for them.
The pleas were entered after a successful application for summary disposal of the cases, by Police Inspector Satrohan Dayaram,
prosecuting.
Batson was granted $75,000 bail on the individual charges and will have to make another appearance, in the same Court, on January 25,
2011.
The Prosecutor said, on December 17, at Lot 167 ‘G’ Belvedere, Corentyne, shopkeeper Kemualee Harrinarine was attending to a customer
when David, wearing a blue cap, put on a yellow mask and ordered her, at gunpoint, not to make any noise, while threatening to shoot
her son, who was seated nearby.
The woman handed over gold rings, bangles and chains, as well as cash, making a total loss of property valued $370,000, which he
handed to an accomplice, who wore a black mask as he kept watch outside the business place.
Investigating Police went to David’s home, where Batson was seen running to the backyard and discarding a plastic bag, which, when
retrieved, contained the gun and two bullets in the magazine, the Court heard.
The Prosecutor said Batson told detectives that the weapon belonged to David and a search of the house yielded a yellow mask and a
t-shirt with eyelets.