‘Shark Eye’ granted $125,000 bail over armed robbery

Magistrate Sherdell Isaacs granted a man his pre-trial freedom in the sum of $125,000 when he appeared before her at the Mahaicony Court on Monday, charged with two counts of robbery under arms.

It is alleged that on September 9 Michael `Shark Eye’ Gobin of Blairmont, West Bank Berbice robbed a resident of Mahaicony Creek of a 48-HP Yamaha outboard engine valued $600,000, a torchlight and a cloak.

The case was first heard on September 17 and bail was refused on that occasion. Gobin made his second appearance on Monday when the case was fixed for bail review and report.

But the prosecution was not in a position to report on the matter and again asked that bail be refused.

Defence counsel Joel Persid Edmond renewed his application for bail for his client, arguing that the prosecution was unable to report on the matter in a timely manner.

Further, he said what was before the court was an allegation and the prosecutor has to prove his client guilty. He said that one of the fundamental principles was that a person was presumed innocent until proven guilty.

He submitted that bail was not a punishment, but it was to ensure a person’s attendance in court.

Edmond also argued that to keep his client incarcerated longer would be a breach of his fundamental rights and freedom, which are guaranteed in Article 144 of the Constitution of Guyana.

After listening to submissions from the prosecution and the defence the magistrate set bail at $125,000 and adjourned the matter to October 22.