Two men who were recently on separate gun-related charges were taken back to court on Monday and remanded after a joint charge was read to them in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Reagan Rodrigues and Ryan Hescott appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton and were not required to plead to the indictable charge of allegedly robbing Dennis Rampersaud of a shoulder bag, a quantity of raw gold, three gold rings and gold earrings, a total value of $1,096,500 at Brickdam, Georgetown.
Rodrigues was previously charged on February 15 with robbery and gun and firearm possession, while Hescott was charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition on February 29. Both accused were to return to court on Monday for a report on their separate cases. When they appeared in court Police Prosecutor Desiree Fowler said she was advised to institute a joint charge since Hescott was implicated in the robbery.
Attorney Vic Puran representing Rodrigues once again told the court that in an identification parade conducted at the Georgetown Public Hospital where Rodrigues was hospitalized after being shot by police, the virtual complainant had not identified Rodrigues as the one who robbed him.
Fowler said she did not know of any ID parade being carried out.
Puran replied that the prosecution could not refute his arguments with “I don’t know.”
Fowler then said that Rodrigues was identified by police. When asked where, she said at the scene of the crime.
Attorney Adrian Thompson representing Hescott also wanted to know how his client was implicated in the robbery when he was not previously. Fowler said that he was also identified by police at the crime scene.
Both men have to return to court on March 19 for report.
