The five persons implicated in the foiled robbery on Republic Bank on July 4, were on Friday morning hauled before the Magistrate’s Court and charged for varying offences.
Those charged are former Republic Bank employee, Jamal Haynes, Keron Saunders, Gladstone George, police constable Anfami Blackman, and Shawn Raymond (the other former employee of Republic Bank who acted as an informant.)
Haynes who was charged with six offences, plead guilty to four.
He plead guilty to the possession of firearms and ammunition charges and was sentenced by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to four years imprisonment for each and fined $90,000 each. His sentences will run concurrently.
Haynes also plead guilty to the charge that on the 4th of July 2017, at Water Street Georgetown he attempted to commit a felony, robbery under arms, that is to say, while being in the company of others he attempted to rob Republic Bank Limited. For this offence he was sentenced to two years in prison which will run consecutively with the other sentence of four years. Meaning that he will serve six years in all for the offences which he plead guilty.
He also plead guilty to unlawfully obstructing Tendulkar Singh of his right to proceed, that is to say he held him hostage. For this offence, he was fined $100,000 or a default of 6months imprisonment.
Haynes however, plead not guilty to the charge of discharging a loaded firearm. He is to re-appear in Court on August 11, in relation to this charge.
The court also heard that on July 3, at Sparendaam while being in the company of others Haynes robbed Ryan Anthony Mayers of 1 car valued at $2.9M, a cell phone and $19,000 dollars cash. He also plead not guilty to this charge and will have to return on August 10, at Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court in relation to this offence.
Keron Saunders plead not guilty to the three charges that were read against him.
The first charge detailed that on July 4, at Water Street, he had in his possession 10, 9MM ammunition without being a holder of an ammunition licence and also on the same day at the same location he was found to be in possession of 1 Tarus 9MM pistol without being the holder of a firearm licence.
Saunders’ also plead not guilty to the joint charge of attempting to rob Republic Bank. Bail was requested by his attorney but was denied. he was remanded until the 11th of August where he is expected to make his next court appearance.
Meanwhile Gladstone George, Anfami Blackman and Shawn Raymond were all charged for attempting to rob Republic Bank Limited.
Police constable, Anfami Blackman, the Prosecutor related supplied the guns to the robbers and was the driver of the vehicle that transported them to the bank.
They were all remanded to prison until August 11.
However, things went awry when the trio (Jamal Haynes, Keron Saunders, Elton Wray) broke into the bank on the morning in question, without knowing that they had recieved a text message from Raymond who was already at work informing them to “hold! She is not here.”
