CHIEF Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry yesterday remanded to prison a 21-year-old construction worker over the large cache of guns and ammunition found at the GNIC Wharf, Lombard Street, Georgetown, on Friday.Jamal Murphey of Lot 40 Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court slapped with two charges of having guns and ammunition without the possession of a firearm licence. Murphy strongly denied the allegation by the police.

It is alleged that Murphy, on May 08, at Guyana National Industrial Corporation, Lombard Street, Charlestown, had in his possession 589 live rounds of ammunition and 70 firearms.
Murphy’s lawyer, Tanicia Daniels, argued that her client was at the wharf to uplift a package from abroad that contained foodstuff.
Police prosecutor Bharat Mangru told the court that the defendant had given Lot 33 Crown Garden, Regent Street and two other conflicting addresses to the police.
Mangru told the court that on the day in question at about 11:30hrs, a Customs officer attached to GNIC wharf was conducting a search on the box, sent by Ron Murphy to the defendant, when a gun was unearthed in a black haversack in the box. The officer then contacted her superior and the defendant was summoned. Checks were subsequently made on the box in the presence of the defendant and the arms and ammunition were found. Murphy was then taken to Criminal Investigation Department headquarters. The prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that no special reasons were advanced by counsel for his client to be released on bail.
Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry declined counsel’s bail application and remanded the defendant to prison. Murphy is to make his next court appearance on May 14 before Magistrate Judy Latchman.
Meanwhile, the police are on the hunt for Mark Crumwell, called ‘Demon’, for questioning into the arms cache find.
Crumwell also resides at lot 40 Vigilance, East Coast Demerara and has been charged several times with gun-related offences.