…deny demanding money with menace from Venezuelan women

THREE policemen were on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, granted bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates Court, after being charged with three counts of demanding money with menace from three Venezuelan women.

The men, 34-year-old Ceon Jones of Lot 434 Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara; Tevin Estriado, a 26-year-old of Lot 41 Farm, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara; and 30-year-old, Corwyn Mingo, of Lot 188 Section C’ Enterprise, East Coast Demerara,pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Particulars of the first charge alleged that between May 1, 2018 and May 31, 2018, at Makari Top, Essequibo, they demanded with intent to steal, six pennyweights of raw gold from one of the women.

The second charge alleged that on the same day at Makari Top, Essequibo, the three men also demanded with intent to steal, six pennyweights of raw gold worth $63,000 from another woman .

The third charge stated that between May 1, 2018 and May 31, 2018, at Makari Top, Essequibo, they demanded with intent to steal, three penny weights of raw gold worth $31,000 from another woman.

Mingo’s attorney applied for bail on behalf of his client, while the other men were unrepresented.

In court on Wednesday, Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield contended that during the month of June, 2018, the force was conducting investigations into a Trafficking in Persons (TIPs) matter. It was during then that the police ranks, who were reportedly stationed at the Issano police station, were identified as the ones who had demanded money from the three women.

The men allegedly committed the act during a stop-and-search operation at the Makari Top, where they allegedly demanded a quantity of money and the women subsequently handed over a total of 15 pennyweights of raw gold worth $ 157,000.

After listening to submissions made by the prosecutor, the chief magistrate granted them bail in the sum $30,000 each. They will make their next appearance at the Bartica Magistrates’ Court on May 16, 2019.