Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton yesterday remanded a 22-year-old minibus conductor to prison after he appeared before her in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with two gunpoint robberies.
Julius James of John Fernandes Squatting area was not required to plead to two indictable charges of robbery under arms when they were read to him.
It is alleged that on Sunday at Georgetown while being armed with a handgun, James robbed Kevin Bowen of one motor car valued $2M and $13,000 cash, both being the property of Carlotta Sutton.
Additionally on January 18 at Aubrey Barker Public Road, using a gun he robbed Patrick Boston of one cell phone, one CD deck, one amplifier, two speaker tweeters and a key, a total value of $248,000 and the property of John Holder.
According to reports, in the first robbery James and two others allegedly hired Bowen to take them to South Ruimveldt. When they arrived at their destination, the trio reportedly forced the driver into the car truck and drove to different parts of the city, including night spots. The carjackers reportedly stopped in front of the New Courtyard Restaurant and Bar on Main Street where Bowen managed to escape and raise an alarm.
James was apprehended while his two alleged accomplices escaped in the stolen vehicle which was subsequently found. James was subsequently charged and placed before the court.
Attorney-at-law Adrian Thompson who entered an appearance for James made a bail application on his behalf. According to the counsel, he has been instructed that his client was beaten by the police and he has marks on his skin.
Thompson told the court that police picked up his client while he was at the New Courtyard (formerly Palm Court) with his family. He said too that he has knowledge that his client was not on an identification parade.
On these grounds he asked for reasonable to be granted.
Police prosecutor Desiree Fowler, however, objected to bail being granted on the grounds that the offence is a serious one and if granted his pre-trial liberty James may not return for his trial.
Regarding the claim that the accused was at Palm Court with his family, Fowler said that is not so, adding that there was no need for an identification parade because he was positively identified by the complainant (Bowen) as the person who hijacked his car in the vicinity of Meadowbrook Drive and Mandela Avenue on Sunday night.
The magistrate later refused bail and adjourned the matter to February 8.
