Three officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were on Thursday morning jointly charged for simple larceny by the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The charge was read to Delon Sobers, 24, of Soesdyke Linden Highway and Tevon Hedley, 23, of Mckenzie Linden (Region-Ten), in absence of their alleged accomplice, Neil Yarris, who failed to make an appearance before the court.
It is alleged that the trio stole $500,000 cash from gold miner, Brian Atkinson on October 11, 2017 at Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
Defense attorney, Mark Conway, told the court that on the day in question both of his clients were on duty while further contending that nothing was recovered in their possession.
Meanwhile, Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers posed no objection to bail and the Chief Magistrate granted same to the accused men, fixed at the sum of $70,000 while ordering that the matter be transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court for trial. This case is expected to be called again on December 15, 2017.
Conditions of the bail require the defendants to report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters once per week pending the outcome of trial.
According to media reports, the three ranks who are attached to the Bartica Police Station, had reportedly arrested the complainant (Atkinson) who is the general manager of his family’s mining operations. Atkinson had at the time of his arrest some $1.2 M in his possession, the proceeds of a gold sale that his father reportedly did not authorise.
Further reports by the complainant indicate that the policemen while transporting him to the Bartica Police Station, allegedly attempted to cut a deal with Atkinson for his release.
According to the complainant, after he refused the deal, the officers reportedly took the monies anyway.
Upon arrival at the police station the complainant discovered that the cash was short by $500,000 after it was counted in his presence.
