Accused in Lombard St stick-up remanded

Ronell France and Neko Devonish, accused of robbing a man of all his valuables including his shoes during an armed hold-up, were remanded to prison yesterday.

France, 22, of 108 BB Eccles and Devonish, 19, of 351 BB Eccles, were jointly charged with robbing Keswick Miller of $196,000 in cash and kind.

They pleaded not guilty to the charge at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where they were arraigned before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

It is alleged that on November 16, at Lombard Street, Georgetown, while armed with a gun, they robbed Miller of a pair of sneakers, valued $20,000, two cellphones, valued $110,000, motorcycle keys, valued $6,000 and $60,000.

It is the police’s case that on November 16, at Lombard Street, at around 00:45am, Miller was in an abandoned building talking to someone when France and Devonish along with another man, armed with a handgun, approached him, robbed him and made good their escape.

Later, Miller saw the France and Devonish on Lombard Street and pointed them out to a police officer.

Attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat, who represented both men, asked Magistrate Latchman for reasonable bail. But prosecutor Vishnu Hunt objected, saying that if released they would interfere with the witness.

He also objected in the light of the penalty that they face if convicted of the charge, the value of the stolen goods and the fact that a gun was used in the attack.

As a result of his    objections, Magistrate Latchman denied bail and France and Devonish will make their next appearance in Court One on November 28, when the statements are expected to be filed.