[www.inewsguyana.com] – A man accused of murdering two men and found with 340 grams of cannabis along with a firearm and matching rounds of ammunition was on Monday remanded to prison after he made his first Court appearance before Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
It is alleged that the gold miner, 37 – year – old Mark Atkinson , of Barima Waini, North West District and formerly stationed at Mowasi, Landing, Upper Demerara, Berbice River on June 3, 2015 at Blackwater Creek, murdered Bevon Anderson.
It is also alleged that Atkinson between August 12 and August 13, 2015 at Burning Spur, he murdered Daniel Lima, a Brazilian National.
Atkinson was not allowed to plead to the two capital offences of murder, due to the charges being indictable.
However, it is also alleged that Atkinson on September 30, 2015 at Mowasi, Landing had in his possession 340 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
In addition to that, it is alleged that Atkinson on that same day at Mowasi had in possession one Titan Tiger Special .38 revolver and six live rounds ammunition all without being the holder of a firearm license.
Atkinson who was not allowed to plea to the offences relating to both firearm and matching rounds of ammunition, pleaded not guilty to offence of possession of cannabis.
The Prosecution explained that the police, acting on information, went to an abandoned building at Mowasi Landing, where they saw the suspect with a haversack on his back.
A search was then carried out on his person where they found the alleged .38 revolver and six live rounds ammunition.
Further investigation in the haversack, by the police, unearthed a plastic bag containing what appeared to be weeds, seeds and stems; suspected to be cannabis.
As it relates to the capital offence of murder of Daniel Lima, Atkinson claims it was self-defense.
He said Lima who was in the habit of making threats with the same gun used to murder him, dislodged a loaded firearm in his direction.
He said he did what he had to do to protect himself, since Lima had chopped him.
In the end, Magistrate McLennan fined Mark Atkinson $500,000 for the narcotics offence and he was sentenced to one year in prison for each count of the charges.
As it relates to the offences of murder, Atkinson was placed on remand.
He will make his next court appearance on October 20 at the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court.
