COLWYN Harding, who recently appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court as a complainant in an alleged police assault case, was yesterday slapped with a robbery with violence charge. 

He pleaded not guilty to the offence before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and was placed on $75,000 bail until August 5 for statements.

Particulars of the offence said that on July 9 at Hadfield Street, Georgetown, being armed with a cutlass he robbed Cherrylan Hope of three Samsung Galaxy S5 cellular phones and $30,000 cash, a total value of $390,000.
Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru said that both the defendant and the virtual complainant (VC) are known to each other. On the day in question, the virtual complainant was standing next to Ashmin’s Store when a white car drove by and the defendant who was armed with a cutlass exited. He attacked the VC and dealt her several chops leaving her to suffer injuries to her hand.
Subsequently, Hope fell to the ground and the accused relieved her of the articles and then made good his escape.
The prosecutor opposed bail on the grounds that since they are known to each there is a likelihood that Harding may tamper with Hope. He also said that the defendant had eluded the police when they tried to arrest him and cited the seriousness and prevalence of the offence.
The accused later turned himself in with his attorney, Mr. Nigel Hughes, and was placed on cash station bail.
Counsel told the court that his client never went behind the VC since the allegation. He said the police had three alibis and there is a witness who is a colleague of the VC who said that the person who allegedly committed the act was masked and this was no proper identification.
Harding had previously alleged that he was raped with a baton by a police officer while he was in custody and ill treated by other ranks of the Timehri Police Station where he was being detained in November 2013. Two police officers were charged in that matter.

(By Geeta Rampersaud)