BERBICE sleuths have instituted eleven charges against Kwame Bhagwandin, who has been numbered among a group of persons accused of carrying out a robbery spree on victims spanning from East Bank Berbice to East Canje, where a surveillance camera caught the image of the suspect.Bhangwandin appeared before Magistrate Charlyn Artiga at the Reliance Court, and was not required to plead to the charges instituted against him by Detective Corporal Darmendra Indarpaul.

Police Sergeant Phillip Sherrif objected to bail, citing the nature and gravity of the offence and the allegation that a firearm had been used in commission of the offences.

The prosecutor, in updating the court on the offences, said that attempted murder victim Surajeet Seepersaud remains hospitalised; the car has been recovered, and the defendant has been positively identified by two witnesses during an identification parade.

However, Attorney-at-law Charrandas Persaud, who made a failed bid to secure bail for his client, said that while Bhagwandin had been previously charged, all the matters had been dismissed.

Pointing to his client, who is partially disfigured, the lawyer noted that while Bhagwandin had been a remand prisoner at the New Amsterdam Prison, he had suffered severe violence at the hands of inmates, and as a result cannot make a fist; cannot hold a spoon to feed himself; and is unable to hold anything even the size of a ball.

“He cannot have a gun or a cutlass in his possession… All the offences are alleged to have been committed in company with others! This man before the court is almost a cripple!” Persaud emphasised.

The police allegations against Bhagwandin are as follows: That on April 2 last, at Glasgow Village, East Bank Berbice, the defendant, being in company with others, and whilst being armed with a gun, unlawfully and maliciously wounded Surgeet Seepersaud with intent to commit murder.

On the same day, he allegedly robbed Stanley Mc Kenzie of a motor car, a cellular phone and cash totalling $2.131M

* On April 2, at Number Two Village, being armed with a gun, he robbed Tessa Ramnaught of golden finger rings valued at $120,000.

* He stole from Melissa Benn, an employee of Caribbean Cuisine, a cellular phone and cash totalling $ 50,740, property of Budnarine Seenarine.

* At East Canefield, East Canje, he stole from Shanezza Singh a 22-carat gold band, 3 pairs of 12-carat earrings, a wallet, cash, an Iphone 6, a Samsung tablet, and wrist watches totalling $1.615,000.

* The defendant forcefully took from Devindra Samaroo cash and a cellular phone valued at $85,000.

* In addition, Imran Singh was robbed of his Samsung Note 2 cell phone, a Nokia note book, a Guess watch, and cash totalling $3.583M

* At New Area Housing Scheme, the defendant allegedly robbed Debin Singh Roopnarine of silver jewelry valued at $8000.

* On March 28, at Cumberland Village, East Canje, whilst being with others, he robbed Parbattie Bemaul of a gold chain and a mobile phone totalling $36,000.

* On that same date, he took from Candacy Bemaul a gold chain valued at $10,000.

Mohanie Bemaul was robbed of gold, silver, diamonds and cash totalling $2.340M.

Meanwhile, Sherrif said, the defendant, along with others, whilst being armed with a gun and cutlasses, commenced their attack on fifty-year-old Surajeet Seepersaud at Glasgow Housing Scheme, East Berbice. Seepersaud was having dinner when his family was attacked. One of the bandits had climbed to the upper flat of Seepersaud’s home and had commanded his victims to be quiet. However, Seepersaud confronted a bandit, who shot him before escaping.

The partially masked robbers then proceeded to the nearby house, where Courts Manager Stanley McKenzie was parking his motor vehicle. The thieves demanded the vehicle at gunpoint, which they drove to East Canje, where the other robberies took place.

Following reports at Central and Reliance Police stations respectively, the police managed to access a surveillance recording in which Bhagwandin was identified.

Further, acting on information, sleuths swooped down at a popular New Amsterdam Hotel where the alleged bandit had been seen in a compromising position with a female member of the Neighbourhood Policing Group, who later revealed pertinent information.

Bhagwandin is expected to return to the Reliance Magistrate’s Court on April 24, where seven matters will be heard while the remaining cases are being transferred to the New Amsterdam Magistrates’ Court for hearing on May 6.