FOUR men were, on Tuesday November 19, 2019, remanded to prison by Magistrate Faith McGusty on robbery under arms charge.

Businessman Baldeo Francis, 37; Driver Ramesh Singh, 45; Police Constable Kort Nedd, 27 and Leron Campbell, 26, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and were not required to plead to the charge.

Particulars of the charge stated that, on November 11, 2019, at Matthew’s Ridge, in the North West District, armed with dangerous weapons, they robbed Jose Da Costa of $95,000 cash and a quantity of raw gold valued at $18M, property of Deonarine Sookram.
On Tuesday, businessman Francis was also ‘slapped’ with two separate gun and ammunition charges. The first charge stated that, on the same day, at Skull Mountain, Arakaka, in the North West District, he (Francis) had in his possession one .223 riffle and two 9mm pistols without being the holder of a firearm licence.

The second charge stated that, on the same day and at the same place, he had 120 rounds of ammunition, without being the holder of a firearm licence.

Francis pleaded not guilty to the two charges, when they were read to him.
Attorney-at-law Jerome Khan, who represented Francis, told the court that the gold that was found by the police belonged to his client, and some of the gold disappeared because his client handed it over to the police. Khan also told the court that the quantity of gold handed over to the police was more than what was shown and being circulated in the press.

Attorney-at-law George Thomas, who represented police constable Nedd, told the court that his client was never a part of any robbery or any confession to any robbery.
Police Prosecutor Seon Blackman objected to bail being granted to the four men based on the serious nature of the offence, the penalty attached and the value of the raw gold. Blackman also told the court that, on the day in question, Da Costa and his workers were at the Matthews Ridge Airstrip, awaiting a private plane, when the suspects, who were armed with Ak47 guns, attacked them and went into a cooler where the gold was. The men took away the raw gold and the cash and made good their escape.

The matter was reported and police, acting on information, stopped Francis’ vehicle. A search was conducted and the raw gold was found in a container. Francis then took the police to his house and showed him the guns that were in a drum. Francis was arrested, and, based on the information provided, the other men were later arrested.

Francis’ lawyer also asked the court to grant bail to his client on the illegal guns and ammunition charge, since his client was not found with the items.

The lawyer added, that the police carried his client to his house and, while Francis remained in the vehicle, an officer by the name of McGregor went into the house and returned with the guns and ammunition.

Magistrate McGusty, after listening to the prosecutor and the lawyer, remanded the men to prison until November 26, 2019, and transferred the matter to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.