[www.inewsguyana.com] – Twenty – one – year-old mason, Wendell Austin of Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara was today [Friday, February 21] sentenced to serve 56 months imprisonment by Magistrate Judy Latchman for robbery under arms.
He first appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on January 4 in Georgetown, he being in company of others armed with a knife, robbed Kishan Persaud of one Toshiba laptop computer, one Blackberry Bold cellular phone, one Silver Band and Ring and $15,000 cash together valued $216,000.
The trial commenced on January 24 and the Prosecution was led by Police Inspector Joel Ricknauth and he was found guilty. Austin was positively identified by the victim during an ID parade.
Meanwhile, on his way back from the washroom in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, Austin picked up a piece of wood and threw it in the direction of reporters, who had to run for cover. His hands were cuffed in front of him, when he picked up the wood which was lying on the track way of the chute.
Fortunately, the reporters, who were standing approximately 10 feet away managed to dodge the object.
