A 42-year-old businessman who found himself in hot water after the police allegedly discovered a firearm and several rounds of ammunition at his home, has been granted bail.
The defendant, Weston Pickering told the court he lived at Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara (ECD), appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrates’ Court to answer to the charges of possession of firearm and ammunition without a licence.
In court, Pickering who was represented by Attorney-at-Law Bernard Da Silva was granted $700,00 bail. His matter is scheduled to be called again in September 4, 2024.

According to the Guyana Police Force (GPF), at approximately 18:25 hours on August 11, 2024, a team ranks from the Providence Police Station conducted an intelligence-led operation at Pickering’s residence at Lot 2 Somerset Court Housing Scheme, Herstelling, East Bank Demerara.
The property is a two-storey structure within a well-fenced yard.

Pickering was informed that the police were there to search for arms, ammunition, and drugs, and he consented to the search. During the search, police discovered an AK-47 assault rifle wrapped in a brown towel inside a washing machine on the lower flat of the property.
Pickering confirmed that he did not hold a firearm licence when asked by the policemen, and he remained silent when cautioned about the allegation of possessing a firearm without a licence.
Additionally, 29 live matching rounds were found inside a magazine, and 30 live matching rounds of ammunition were discovered in a pair of black and white socks wrapped in the towel.
Police also found six live 9mm rounds of ammunition in a bedroom on the upper flat of the house.

Further investigation led to the discovery of a significant amount of currency in a brown suitcase located in a room of the house. The following currencies were found: CAD 11,312, USD 1,583, CNY 10, TTD 5,120, BBD 70, JMD 50, GYD 480,000, EUR 120, and GBP 3,405.
Weston Pickering was arrested, and the firearm, ammunition, and cash were transported to the Providence Police Station, where the money was counted in his presence, marked, and sealed.
The firearm and ammunition were also lodged at the police station.

Attorney Da Silva argued in his bail plea on Pickering’s behalf that his client rents the Herstelling property and further sublets it as an Airbnb. He submitted that the AK-47 assault rifle and some of the ammunition were found in the yard in a not-working washing machine.
“The perimeter fence that secures the yard is about three to four feet in height. It is a chain link fence and not secured. It is not like a nine-feet fence with razor wire. The gate to which the fence is attached is not locked. It is just closed in with a latch,” he said.
According to the lawyer, the other set of ammunition was not found in his client’s presence.

“He was downstairs while they [the cops] were searching upstairs. They came down and told him ‘Look, we just find this [ammunition] upstairs’.” According to Da Silva, Pickering informed the police that he had tenants living on the property, but he was unsure if the items belonged to them or if they were licenced to carry a firearm. The attorney said in court that he could prove his client’s rental status of the property with rent receipts and a tenancy agreement.
Additionally, he stated that nothing unlawful was discovered during the police search of his client Vryheid Lust’s residence. After taking into account Da Silva’s arguments, Magistrate Bess concurred with the attorney that there were special circumstances, which are necessary in order to grant bail in cases involving firearms. As such, the defendant was given his pre-trial liberty.