Two men, who attacked and robbed a mining camp at Takatu Backdam, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) on Friday last were arraigned for the crime when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Terrence Bacchus pleaded not guilty while Titus Valenzuela pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on December 27, 2019 at Takatu Backdam, Cuyuni River they robbed Joao Dosristinto.
As a result, Valenzuela was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment while Bacchus was remanded to prison until January 19. The matter was transferred to Bartica Magistrate’s Court.
Based on reports received, the robbery took place at about 23:30h while Dostristinto, his cook and a worker, were sound asleep in their mining camp.
The two suspects, each with a cutlass, reportedly stormed the camp and threatened to kill the miner if he did not hand over the cash he had in the camp, gold and other valuables.
After putting up a resistance, the cutlass-wielding bandits bound Dostristinto and proceed to ransack the camp. The cook and the worker were reportedly in their respective quarters as the men executed the robbery.
Dostristinto reportedly told Police that the masked bandits relieved him of $850,000 cash that he had on his person and then robbed him of two mobile phones.
They also collected four bottles of brand name colognes and 14 pennyweights of raw gold before they made good their escape.
Shortly after the robbery, the worker and cook employed by Dostristinto became aware that something was amiss and went to the man’s aid. The miner was then untied and he immediately contacted the police to report the matter.
Investigators began their probe and the hunt for the two suspects intensified after they received information that the men were leaving the region.
However, on Saturday, a team of policemen who were deployed at the Bartica Ferry Stelling observed two men acting in a suspicious manner as they were on board a vessel destined for Parika, East Bank Essequibo.
The duo was taken off the boat and taken to the Bartica Police Station where they were searched, during which the money and other items were discovered.
