Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle yesterday refused bail to a 15-year-old student, who allegedly robbed a taxi driver at gunpoint.
The teen pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition and robbery under arms when they were read to him.
It is alleged that on July 10 the teenager had in his possession eight rounds of ammunition and one pistol without being the holder of a firearm licence. Further, on that same date he allegedly robbed taxi driver Rabindranauth Baijnauth of his wallet, cell phone and a quantity of cash.
The defence attorney told the court that his client is a third-year student at a well-respected school and had held at the Juvenile Detention Centre at Ruimveldt Police Station for the last ten days. During this time, he said, his client had been beaten and received injuries to his eyes.
The lawyer also produced a character testimony from the teen’s pastor and argued that because his client attends a school of good repute, he should be given bail. “I have formed the conclusion that he [the teenager] was a good student and never in his behaviour at school has he evinced violent or immoral conduct,” the attorney said.
The prosecution did not object to bail being granted to the teenager, but the magistrate refused it nevertheless.
According to the virtual complainant (VC), he normally works outside the Immigration Office and on the day in question, the teenager approached him and asked the cost of a drop to a certain area on the East Coast Demerara.
Baijnauth said he told the young man the price and he got intp the back seat of the car. “I stop at a gas station,” the VC explained, “then I continued to drive. By the turn at the junction he pull a gun on me.”
The VC said the accused verbally abused him and demanded that he hand over his cash, cellular phone, wallet and car keys. Baijnauth said the teen then ran across Queen Street but a man who was alerted by his screams for help, grabbed at the boy and when he fell sat on him until the police arrived.
The teen is to be kept in custody at the detention facility until his next court hearing on Friday.
