MAGISTRATE Judy Latchman has dismissed a case of armed robbery laid against Colwyn Harding after the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him yesterday in that Georgetown magistrate’s court.The allegation against Harding was that on July 9, 2014 at Georgetown, using personal violence, he had robbed Sherry-Ann Hope of a quantity of cash and five cellular phones, altogether valued at $390,000.

Harding had appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on July 17, 2014 and had pleaded not guilty to the charge. The matter had been subsequently transferred to Magistrate Latchman for trial.

During his first appearance, Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru had said that, on the day in question, the victim was standing next to Ashmin’s Store when a white car drove by and Harding exited, armed with a weapon. He allegedly attacked the VC and dealt her several chops to her hand.

But during that appearance, Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes had said that the defence was in possession of alibi statements which had been handed over to the police. Those statements had allegedly substantiated his client’s assertion that he had been elsewhere at time of the alleged robbery.

Hughes had said that the police were in possession of the statements of at least three witnesses who had attested to the fact that Harding had not been at the location at time of the alleged robbery.

The prosecution had failed to present eyewitnesses at any time during the trail, and the magistrate stated that Hope had failed to present herself to the court to be cross-examined, thus she had shown neither interest in the case nor in its proceeding.