THERE was high drama at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday

afternoon as several persons, including one woman, were arraigned on charges of murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry remanded them to prison until October 28 after the prosecution asked for four weeks to continue investigations.
Those charged yesterday were Allan Dorset, 38, of Lot 610 Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo; Essan ‘Muscle’ Lawrence, 33, of Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara; Jermaine ‘Yankee’ Williams, 36, of ‘Gas Station’ Street, Anna Catherina, WCD;  Delwyn Croff, 32, of Lot 589 Tuschen Housing Scheme, EBE; Kiran ‘50 Cent’ Khan of Parika Railway Embankment, EBE; Cassandra Singh, 31, of Lot 610 Zeelugt, EBE; and Andrew ‘Sonic’ Chandellor, 34, of Lot 84 Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara.
They were jointly charged with murder committed on Meten-Meer-Zorg businessman Zulfikar Namdar on September 10 last. The 27-year-old Zulfikar  was shot dead when gunmen invaded his grocery and home at Meten-Meer-Zorg, terrorising his family before escaping with a large quantity of cash and other items.
Williams, Lawrence and Croff were charged separately with robbery under arms, particulars of which said that on September 7 last, at Good Success, Wakenaam Island, being armed with offensive weapons (guns), they invaded the house of Rohan Nandkishore,  discharged several rounds, and robbed him of a quantity of jewellery valued $3.5M and cash valued at $2.5M.
The trio were not required to plead to this charge, and this case will continue on the same day as the murder charge.
Two other persons, Samuel Bacchus, 38, of East Ruimveldt Squatting Area, Georgetown; and Peter Christian (no address given) were not required to plead to another charge of conspiring to commit a felony, which indicated that on September 16 last, they conspired with each other to rob Namdar at Meten-Meer-Zorg.
Bacchus and Christian were remanded to prison on this charge, and the case will come up again on the same day as the other matters.
Police Corporal Bharat Mangru, prosecuting, told the court in relation to the murder on September 10 that, at approximately 20:45 hrs, the deceased Zulfikar Namdar was at his businessplace in Meten-Meer-Zorg when it was invaded by the group of persons. He was shot and killed, and his mother was robbed of $1.3M in jewellery and $320,000 in cash.
Investigations were carried out, and following excellent work by police detectives,  all the accused were arrested.
Corporal Mangru also said that, on September 16 last, police acting on information in relation to a robbery committed on Sheriff Amad, a known businessman, confronted the late Kirk Bacchus and Kiefa Small, called ‘Frog Eye’.
Investigations were conducted, and Samuel Bacchus and Peter Christain, who both had control of cars, were arrested and questioned, and admitted to transporting the two men and waiting for them.
Attorney-at-law Mr. Melville Duke, representing Williams, explained that his client was beaten and tortured; his feet, chest, arms and shoulder showed evidence of marks inflicted by the police, who also forced him to sign a statement which he did not read. Duke contended that his client was continuously held in a rough manner, even though there was no identification parade.
Khan told the court that the police assaulted him. “I was shocked in my eye…all over my body…in my seeds…everywhere! they put a mask on my head and kept shocking me and kicking me, and when I woke up, they forced me to sign on four pages of paper…. I am urinating and pissing blood…they beating me since Monday”.
The magistrate said Khan should be evaluated medically, and ordered an investigation to be carried out regarding his complaint.
Mangru said that in relation to the robbery, Dorset admitted on the day in question to providing his boat as transportation.
Dorset responded with a resounding “Never! Never! That’s what they write theyself!”
His wife Cassandra Singh, whose voice pierced the silent courtroom, complained: “Your Worship, my rights have been denied…I asked the police to speak with my lawyer Nigel Hughes, but they won’t let me.”

CHAOS OUTSIDE COURT
Outside the courtroom, relatives of the accused gathered as the murder accused were escorted by the police into the prison van.  Dorset’s mother dropped to the ground, wailing and gripping at her tee shirt. She cried out that, “Dem charge meh son wid murder!” as the police forced him into the holding area before the prisoners were escorted to the prison.
Dorset reached out for his mother’s hands as she cried, and he was reluctant to enter the lock-up. He struggled with the police and ended up being wrestled to the ground, as the crowds pressed in for a better view.
Also present at the court yesterday was a very emotional Gulzar Namdar, the father of the 27-year-old Zulfickar who was brutally shot and killed during the brazen robbery.
Gulzar praised the police for charging the persons for allegedly murdering his son. He also told a number of the accused that it was good that they were charged and queried of their family members whether it was good that his son was killed, leaving behind his wife and two children.