SWAT team rank cleared of ammo charges

A member of the Guyana Police Force’s SWAT team, who was charged with having a range of ammunition in his possession, walked out of court a free man yesterday after the charges were dismissed by a city magistrate.

Quincy Springer, 35, of Kitty, who was charged in January with having in his possession 19 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, six .45 live rounds, five 12-gauge shotgun cartridges and a .223 live round, all without being the holder of a firearm licence, yesterday had the charges dismissed by city magistrate Fabayo Azore.

A no-case submission was upheld by the court after it was found that the home in which the ammunition was discovered had multiple occupants, while the main witness was discredited under cross-examination.

During Springer’s arraignment, his lawyer, Patrice Henry, had told the court that the person who reported his client to police was a woman with whom the man had severed a relationship. He added that the complainant lives abroad and whenever she was in the country she would reside at the Lot 52, Roxanne Burnham Gardens address, where the ammunition was found.

According to the attorney, Springer told her that he had moved on, which angered her and resulted in her stating that she would “set him up.”

The complainant later reported to the Ruimveldt Police Station that there was ammunition at her home.