A 20-year-old man was refused bail when he appeared before Magistrate Geeta Chandan Persid at the Reliance Court yesterday charged with the $1M armed robbery committed on Berbice poultry businesswoman Deomattie Arjune.

Twenty-year-old Ryan Mohabir of Lot 101 Sheet Anchor Village, a stone’s throw from the robbed business entity, is alleged to have robbed the entrepreneur of $1M, $255,000 in cheques, and US$300.

Police Prosecutor Inspec-tor Donna Grant Fraser objected to pre-trial liberty on the grounds that the offence is prevalent, and that the money was not recovered.

In addition the prosecutor said if granted bail the defendant may tamper with the witnesses — one of whom had positively identified him — as they are from the same village.

The magistrate upheld the prosecutor’s objection and remanded the defendant to prison until April 28.

It was reported that last Saturday, Arjune was at her business premises at Lot 33- 34, Sheet Anchor Village, East Canje, when she was robbed of $1M after two youths brandishing a pistol and a knife, discharged a round which pierced the ceiling before grabbing the bag containing the money and fleeing the scene on foot.