25-year-old Shaquille Mentore was fined $70,000 by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, on Thursday, March 5, 2020, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on a robbery charge.

The charge alleged that, on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at Duncan Street, Bel Air, Georgetown, Mentore stole from Lewisan Cambell one bag valued at $3500, $23,640, one new cellular phone valued at $20,000, a purple scarf valued at $100, a purse valued at $500, a black bra valued at $1000 and a white t-shirt valued at $500.
When Mentore was read the charge, he pleaded guilty.

According to the report, on the day in question, Tuesday, February 18, Cambell was walking along Duncan Street, Bel Air, when she was confronted by Mentore and his accomplice. The defendant relieved Cambell of her hand bag which consisted of the mentioned articles in the charge. An alarm was raised and public-spirited citizens rushed to render assistance to the victim. In attempting to escape, the defendant was shot twice in both legs. Mentore was escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was attended to medically and was admitted, while awaiting his charge. The handbag containing the items was recovered in Mentore’s possession and was lodged at the Alberttown Police Station. The defendant was later charged.

Mentore, when given the opportunity by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to give the court an account of the incident stated that, on the day in question, Tuesday, February 18, he and his friend took the bag from Cambell and escaped, running through Pike Street, Campbellville. He further mentioned that a vehicle was chasing after them as they ran into a yard and jumped the back fence, ending up in an alleyway. Mentore added that he continued to run in the alleyway as his accomplice jumped into to the next yard.

He mentioned that while he was running in the alleyway, the Campbellville residents started to attack him by hurling bricks at him, and pulling him over the fence. He claimed that the individual who pulled him over the fence from the crowd, looked in a drum where his friend was in hiding and began to fire shots at the drum. Mentore said the individual threw his friend out of the drum saying “look he is here.” The person who Mentore had surrendered to, took him to the front of the yard and fired shots to both his left and right feet. Mentore concluded by saying “I saw my friend die in front of my eyes.”

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, after hearing the case, ‘dealt’ Mentore $70,000 fine and 8 weeks’ imprisonment. Mentore was ordered to be placed on 12 months’ supervision for counselling. He was warned that if he did not subject himself to counselling a warrant would be issued.