Cops robbed robbers

Three policemen were remanded yesterday on the charge that they stole $600,000 in cash and gold jewellery from the suspects in a robbery.

Lance Corporal Shundell Castello, 36, of Lot 1 East La Penitence Georgetown, Police Constable Dellon Luyken, of 17-4 Land Lane, New Amsterdam, and Beepat Tayram, 26, were remanded to prison after being arraigned on the robbery charge at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. No rank was given for Tayram.

The court heard that on February 12, at the Hadfield Street, Lodge Housing Scheme, Georgetown, the three accused robbed Leon Daniels, called ‘Lil D,’ of the cash and jewellery. They were not required to plead to the indictable charge.

Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield said that the cash and jewellery had been taken during a robbery at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara.

The perpetrators of the robbery, he said, subsequently fled to Georgetown with the stolen articles and rented an apartment at Lot 70 Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

Mansfield added that the three accused received information that the robbery suspects were staying at the apartment and they went to the apartment.

There, he said, the police officers confronted the men and subsequently robbed them of the cash and jewellery, after which they allowed the men to go.

According to Mansfield, the perpetrators of the Uitvlugt robbery were subsequently arrested and investigations were conducted that led to the charge against the police officers. He also told the court that none of the stolen articles were recovered.

Attorney Patrice Henry, meanwhile, who represented the accused, made an application for bail for them but was denied.

He told the court that that his clients should be granted bail on the grounds that there were serving members of the Guyana Police Force and if bail was denied to them, there remand would be like a punishment.

Henry also argued that the complainant in the case should also be charged.

The investigating rank in matter, however, later told the court that that the other robbery suspect was charged yesterday at the West Demerara court.

The matter will be called again on March 12.