TORALVA Scipio was on Tuesday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on a charge of robbery under arms. Scipio pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on Sunday, January 18, 2015 at Pike Street, Georgetown, while being armed with a knife, he robbed Selema Mohamed of a BlackBerry cellular phone valued $80,000.
Police Prosecutor Michael Grant told the court that on the day in question around 19:15hrs, Mohamed went into Red Melody Chinese Restaurant on Sheriff Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, to make a purchase. As she sat waiting on her order, the defendant walked up to her and demanded that she hand over her cash. When she refused the defendant pulled out a knife from under his shirt, placed it to her neck and demanded her cellular phone. She surrendered the items and he ran away.
Grant said that the matter was reported to the police, who acting on information arrested the defendant who was later charged for the said offence.
The prosecutor objected to bail citing the nature, gravity and prevalence of the offence, as well as the penalty which it attracts.
In addition, the prosecutor stated that the defendant is known to the police and that he had been previously charged for a similar offence. Bail was refused and the case will be called again on February 13.