TWO serving members of the Guyana Police Force found themselves on the wrong side of the law on Tuesday, February 26, 2019, when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for allegedly robbing a Brazilian at gunpoint.

Constable Sherwayne Spiers, 21, of Parika, East Bank Essequibo, and Constable Daniel Kellman, 25, of Constabulary Compound, Mackenzie, Linden, were charged jointly.
Particulars of the charge alleged that, on February 20, 2019, at the Takutu International Bridge, Central Lethem, Spiers and Kellman, while being armed with weapons, robbed Ronaldo Ferreira of a $38,000 BLU cell phone and 20 Brazilian Real equivalent to GYD $1,200.

The duo pleaded not guilty to the charge while their lawyer, Jerome Khan, made an application for his clients to be released on their own recognisance (self-bail).
“Why must these fine young men ruin their careers for an old beat up cellphone and 20 Real,” Khan told the court, as he revealed that Spiers has been a member of the force for over two years while Kellman has over seven years of service.

Khan contended that, on February 20, 2019, the two officers were stationed at the Lethem Police Station and were conducting duties at the Takutu International Bridge.
The attorney explained that the bridge area is known for being the breeding ground for many criminal activities, including the feared Sindicato gang.

Khan cited that his clients saw Ferreira while he was crossing the bridge and stopped him to conduct a search.
The officers, the attorney said, found a quantity of cannabis in Ferreira’s possession.  However, there was miscommunication between the two ranks and Ferreira due to him not speaking English.

The attorney noted that Ferreira was arrested but escaped while being taken to the Lethem Police Station.

Police Prosecutor, Gordon Mansfield, objected to the two defendants being released on bail and noted that the lawyer’s claims contradicted the evidence available to the police
According to Mansfield, Spiers and Kellman, on the day in question, were each posted at fixed points at the Lethem Municipal Compound with their service weapons.
However, the two officers left their post and went 300 metres away, to the Takutu Bridge where they saw Ferreira.

Mansfield contended that the two officers pointed their service weapons at Ferreira and ordered him to lie on the bridge while they robbed him. The two officers made good their escape and Ferreira reported the matter to the Lethem Police Station.
While at the station, Spiers and Kellman were pointed out by Ferreira and searched. The stolen articles were recovered in their possession.

The chief magistrate, after considering the arguments of the lawyer and the prosecutor, released the two officers on $100,000 bail each, with the condition that they report to the Lethem Police Station every Friday.
The matter was transferred to the Lethem Magistrate’s Court for March 5, 2019.