A GUYANA Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard Officer was yesterday granted $75,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for allegedly being in unlawful possession of several rounds of ammunition.Kevin Valladares, a 19-year-old private of Lot 125 Amelia’s Ward, Linden pleaded not guilty to the charge which said that on July 20, 2015 at Linden he had 82 rounds of ammunition which he was offering for sale.
Valladares’ lawyer Mr. Clyde Forde in an application for reasonable bail explained that his client was on a shooting exercise when rain caused its cancellation. The officer mistakenly went home with the bullets.
Forde said that the soldier was also charged by the Guyana Defence Force and had been incarcerated at Base Camp, Ayanganna for 24 days and for some time with the Coast Guard.
However the prosecution’s story was different. According to Prosecutor Deniro Jones, Valladares was part of a training exercise with the United States and GDF Coast Guard at a firing range. This was later cancelled due to the inclement weather.
Jones further pointed out that the officer failed to lodge the ammunition, returned home to Linden and began to seek sales for the bullets. Valladares was alleged to have been caught red-handed in a sting operation.
The case was transferred to the Linden Magistrate’s Court for November 17 and the officer was released on bail after the prosecution offered no objections.