“You need to go fishing for fish and not fishing for people’s items” were the words of a city magistrate before passing sentence on a 29-year-old man for robbery under arms when he appeared on Wednesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The charge alleged that on October 14, 2018 at Ramp Road, Ruimveldt, East Bank Demerara, while being in the company of others and armed with a knife, Mohamed Shafeek robbed Ravindradat Seodat of one cellphone valued $ 20,000 and $1000 cash. The fisherman pleaded guilty to the charge that was read out to him in court by Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Shafeek, in his explanation, told the court his mother is sick and he was frustrated and did not know what came over him to commit the act. According to the police facts, the victim and the accused are known to each other. On the day in question, the victim was walking along Ramp Road when the accused and another individual rode up to him and asked him for $200. While reaching for the money in his pocket, his phone came out the same time and the bandits took both the cash and the phone. The matter was reported and an investigation was carried out and the accused was arrested. Shafeek was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment.