TWO men who were implicated in a failed bid to burglarize a home at Betsy Ground, East Canje Berbice last Saturday, December 8, appeared before Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo at the Reliance Court and were each remanded to prison until January 16, 2013. However, when Keshwar Harrynarine and Parmanand Joseph were taken to the New Amsterdam Prison, Harrynarine was refused entry on ground of allegedly being medically unfit, and prison officials suggested that he be readmitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Harrynarine, 32, of Lot 2, Section ‘A’, Fyrish Village; and Joseph, 24, of Lot 43 John Settlement, Port Mourant Corentyne, pleaded not guilty to six charges, including three counts of discharging a loaded firearm.

Particulars of the charge state that, on December 9, 2012, at Betsy Ground, East Canje Berbice, they discharged a loaded firearm at Doodnauth Moses with intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or cause him grevious bodily harm.

On the same date, at Rose Hall, East Canje Berbice, the duo discharged a loaded firearm at Cadet Officer Roger Pilgrim with intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or cause him grevious bodily harm.

The defendants also face a similar charge allegedly committed on Police Corporal Randy Hamlington.

The remanded prisoners, unrepresented by counsel, also face a charge of being in possession of ammunition, to wit, three sixteen-gauge cartridge casings and one .12-gauge cartridge casing,  without being the holder of a firearm licence in force at the time.

Additionally, they pleaded not guilty to a joint charge of being in possession of a firearm, to wit, a .16-gauge shotgun, without the relevant licence.

They are also charged with an attempted felony, in which they attempted to burglarize the dwelling house of Ragesh Parsram.

Police Corporal Orin Joseph, prosecuting, objected to bail, telling the court that he was relying on the statute under the Firearms Act.