ONE of the accused implicated in the $9M Princess Casino heist in 2016 was on Friday arrested and placed before the court on another robbery charge.
Wayne Griffith, 30, of Nismes, Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, appeared before city Magistrate Leron Daly and was remanded to prison after denying the charge.
Particulars of the charge alleged that Griffith on July 25, 2017 at the Stabroek Market area, while being in the company of another, robbed Rizal Khan of a 23-pennyweight gold band valued 230,000 along with a 10-pennyweight gold chain worth $120,000.
Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh related to the court that the prosecution’s file is still incomplete.
Griffith, along with Junior Stewart, 31, of Thomas Street, Kitty, and security guard Andrew Blackman, 36, of Middle Street, McDoom, East Bank Demerara are currently on trial before Magistrate Daly for the armed robbery carried out at Princess casino on April 29, 2016 at Providence, East Bank Demerara.
The magistrate opposed Griffith being released on bail based upon the ground that he was out on bail when he allegedly committed the robbery on Khan. The matter was adjourned until August 10.
Griffith’s sister who was present in court explained that her family is willing to pay the victim back for his gold chain since the police had recovered the gold band. However, the magistrate explained that it was up to the discretion of the victim. According to reports on July 25, Khan and his wife were proceeding in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market stelling when he was approached by the defendant and an unknown accomplice. The two men demanded that Khan hand over his gold jewellery and attempted to make good their escape.
Khan managed to raise an alarm and police who were in the area pursued the two robbers who ran through to the Stabroek Market. The police managed to catch Griffith while his accomplice escaped. Griffith was found with the gold band when searched by the police. He was also positively identified by Khan as one of the men who robbed him.