Two army AK-47 accused granted bail

Two of the six men who were charged with the theft and possession of an army AK-47 assault rifle were granted bail while the others were remanded when they appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Alvin Wilson the number three defendant of Paradise Village, West Coast Berbice, and Sharth Robertson, 20, of 22 James Street, Hopetown, West Coast Berbice were granted bail in the sum of $250,000 each.

Robertson was represented by attorney-at-law Basil Williams while Wilson was represented by Leslie Sobers.

The other accused are Roy Jones called Rambo, Paul Rajigadoo, Devon Sharp and Alwin Fraser.

The men made their first court appearance on February 19. Jones, Rajigadoo and Sharp were charged with conspiracy to commit the theft of AK-47 #410416, worth $360,000, while Alwin Fraser was charged with receiving stolen property.

Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes made an appearance for Jones, the number one defendant. He made an application for bail which was refused by Magistrate Octive-Hamilton.

In the previous hearing the prosecution said that Jones had signed a statement while in custody.

However Hughes said that such a statement was solicited through torture and should not have any validity.

The charges of possession of a firearm were transferred to the Whim Magistrate’s Court, Berbice for March 31, while the conspiracy charges remain at Court Five in Georgetown for the beginning of the Preliminary Inquiry on May 20.