VENEZUELAN Jesus Alberto Bejia Guarupe appeared in court yesterday, on two charges of being in possession of a firearm and ammunition without valid licences.
It was alleged that, on July 26, at Eteringbang, in the Cuyuni District, he had a .42 automatic pistol and six live rounds of 6.45 bullets. Guarupe pleaded guilty to both offences before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
Police Corporal Simone Payne, prosecuting, said ranks at Eteringbang Station received information, carried out a search on the defendant and found the gun and bullets in his pants crotch.
Through an interpreter, Guarupe said he could not speak English and related that the gun is not his property but belongs to someone in Venezuela who gave him to negotiate a sale and he agreed.
The magistrate remanded him to prison and ordered that a representative of the Venezuelan Consulate be present when the defendant returns to court, for sentencing, on July 30.