Clestine Juan

A 22-YEAR-OLD McDoom resident was yesterday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he pleaded not guilty to charges of firearm and ammunition possession.

Darren Eddie of 50 Middle Street, McDoom, East Bank Demerara broke down in tears in the prisoners’ dock, and his family members in court also cried when the charges were read.

The first charge alleges that on April 15 at McDoom, Eddie had in his possession a 9mm Glock pistol and 35 rounds of matching ammunition when he was not the holder of a firearm licence.
The second charge alleges that he also had in his possession 26 rounds of.32 ammunition when he was not a licence firearm holder.

Eddie denied the charges, while his lawyer, Clyde Ford, made an application for bail to be granted. According to Ford, his client is a carpenter by profession and is not a flight risk, since three other persons have also been arrested for the crime.

The lawyer contended that on the day in question, police ranks went to Eddie’s McDoom, EBD home and conducted a raid. Ford noted that his client is only a tenant at the said two-storey home, where three other persons reside.

“Nothing was found in my client’s possession, but yet the police charged him,” the attorney told the court.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones failed to disclose the facts in court, but strongly opposed bail being granted on grounds of the gravity of the charges and the penalties they attract.

The chief magistrate ruled in the prosecution’s favour and remanded Eddie until May 9.

It is reported that ranks, acting on information, went into the village of McDoom and conducted a raid in relation to a robbery and shoot-out that had taken place earlier that morning at the Shell Fuel Station at McDoom, East Bank Demerara (EBD). The ranks caught a man with a 9mm Glock pistol with matching rounds, while two other men were busted with shotguns at the McDoom home.
Reports are that three armed men stormed the Shell Fuel Station and held at gunpoint three female employees along with a security guard. They managed to rob the workers of $51,000 in cash, along with a cellular phone, before the police arrived at the scene moments later.

The bandits, upon realising that they could be caught when the police arrived, began shooting at the officers. This action attracted counter fire from law enforcement official, during which
one of the perpetrators was shot.

The perpetrators then managed to escape from the fuel station and headed into the McDoom village.
However, police ranks, in hot pursuit, were able to nab one of the gunmen at that point.