[www.inewsguyana.com] – The University of Guyana (UG) Students charged with robbery under arms, made their second Court appearance before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Thursday (February 13).
The three men first appeared in Court on January 27, when 19 – year – old Darien Best, a former employee of Church’s Chicken; 21 – year – old Morris Gibson, an employee of the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company (GT&T) and 20-year-old Joel DeMendonca all pleaded not guilty to the charges, one of which alleged that on January 24, at Robb Street, Georgetown, being together and armed with a gun they robbed Mohanlall Narine of a quantity of cellular phones, valued $8.19M, property of Golyn and Sons.
The trio also denied that under the same circumstances, they robbed Narine of one Samsung Galaxy cellular phone and a gold and diamond ring together valued $630,000.
Police Prosecutor Michael Grant told the Court that Gibson and DeMendonca, who pretended to be customers, while Best walked into the store with a gun, pointed it to Narine and demanded the articles.
They placed the items in a haversack and made good their escape in a car that was waiting at Robb and King Streets.
The Prosecutor said ranks, acting on information went to Eccles and found Best and Gibson with the same haversack in his possession.
Gibson’s Defence Counsel, Lyndon Amsterdam said his client did not go to purchase a cellular phone but a fan. He argued that it was said Best who had the gun and questioned whether Gibson’s presence at the scene should make him an accomplice.
The Prosecutor objected to their pre-trial liberty, citing the seriousness and prevalence of the crime which was upheld.
However, Gibson and DeMendonca managed to acquire $450,000 bail from the High Court.
Best was placed on $450,000 bail by the Chief Magistrate and the case was put off to February 20.
