-remanded over ammo find
A couple who allegedly assaulted and wounded each other refused to give evidence in the matter and the magistrate dismissed it and ordered them to pay costs of $20,000 each.
The couple was also allegedly found with a quantity of ammunition and was remanded to prison last week when they appeared before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Johanna Lopez, 46, of District Three, Kurupung River, Essequibo and Filbert James, 24, of 179 Fourth Street, Alexander Village, East Bank Demerara, both pleaded not guilty to the charges of unlawfully and maliciously assaulting and wounding each other and possession of four rounds of ammunition without licence.
The prosecution stated that on August 18 as the two were on their way home they got into an argument which escalated into a fight and the two assaulted and injured each other. The police were called in and the couple reported the incident.
The hotel which is owned by Lopez was subsequently searched and four rounds of ammunition, two .32 rounds and two .22 rounds, were reportedly found in the building.
Attorneys defending Lopez and James stated that their clients were not willing to provide evidence against each other on the assault matter and it was subsequently dismissed by Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry who ordered them to pay court costs of $20,000 each. The matter of unlawful possession of ammunition was transferred to Court Five before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton. Lopez’s lawyer stated that she is indeed the owner of the hotel in which the rounds of ammunition were found. However, the attorney argued that the hotel had other occupants and the ammunition may have belonged to one of them. He further stated that no crimes were committed with the ammunition and the varying rounds belonged to different calibre weapons which were never found. He applied for bail for Lopez on the grounds that she had contracted malaria and was in urgent need of medical attention.
The lawyer representing James also applied for bail for him stating that he is the sole breadwinner of his family.
The prosecution objected to bail pointing out the seriousness of the matter and also noting that the ammunition was found in the hotel that both Lopez and James occupied. Magistrate Hamilton ordered that the two be remanded and transferred the matter to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court where it will continue on September 2.
