FIVE policemen – a Lance Corporal and four Corporals – were charged on Tuesday in connection with robbing three gold miners of a total of $165,000 worth of raw gold.Appearing before City Magistrate Judy Latchman were Lance Corporal Mark Fernandes, 42, of Lot 16 Annandale Railway Embankment, Constables Raphael Lowenfield, 25, of Diamond Housing Scheme; Akeem Thompson, 25, of Bell Air, Georgetown; Kosice Arthur,25, of Linden and Delroy Duncan, 22, of Sister’s Village, West Bank Demerara.

The policemen are accused of robbing Sherwin Noel of five pennyweights of raw gold valued GY$55,000; Herilall Gildharie of four pennyweights of raw gold valued GY$44,000 and Urie Samuels of six pennyweights of raw gold valued GY$66,000 on July 25, 2016 at Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

The men pleaded not guiltily to the three charges and were represented by Attorney- at-law Patrice Henry. According to Henry, his clients were on patrol duty at the Timehri Police Station when they received certain information via a radio that they should report to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). The officers had received information that three suspects had stolen raw gold from their employer.

The ranks upon arrival searched the three suspects but sent them away after nothing was found in their possession. The lawyer told the court that a few days later the miners showed up at the police station claiming the officers had robbed them of their gold.

Police Prosecutor Shellon Jupiter made no objection to bail; however she told the court that on the day in question about 14:20h the miners came out of the interior and were standing at the Camp Stephenson army base.

According to the Prosecutor, the five armed officers who were on mobile patrol arrived and searched the men and stole the gold in the process.

Magistrate Latchman granted each policeman $200,000 bail on each of the three charges and ordered that they report to the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters every Friday.