Guard charged over unlicensed gun, ammo

A security guard is now a remanded prisoner after allegedly being found with an unlicensed gun and ammunition.

The police said on March 6, on James and Curtis streets, Albouystown, Gordon Mars, 34, of David Street, Subryanville, had a .32 pistol along with 11 matching rounds of ammunition in his possession, while not being the holder of a gun licence.

Mars pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court 1 on Monday.

Prosecutor Bharat Mangru, who objected to bail, told the court that members of a police patrol, who were in receipt of information that Mars was in possession of an unlicensed firearm, went to Albouystown and searched him. The search allegedly revealed the firearm and ammunition in his right side pants pocket, Mangru added.

Further, the prosecutor said Mars at the time of the search told the officers that he was a licensed firearm holder.

However, an investigation conducted by the police revealed that he was not the holder of a valid licence.

But attorney Peter Hugh, who represented Mars, said that his facts about the discovery of the weapon and ammunition differed from what was presented by the prosecutor. Hugh claimed that at the time of his client’s arrest he was in company with of a group of persons and the firearm was found on a grass parapet some distance away from where they were at the time.

 

Bail was refused and the matter was adjourned to March 23, when it will be called before Magistrate Ann McLennan in Georgetown Magis-trates’ Court 1.