After pleading guilty to four charges resulting from the theft of an army pistol a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) private was sentenced to a total of five years imprisonment after the magistrate ordered that three of his sentences run concurrently.
Meanwhile, another man who was also charged in relation to the stolen weapon was remanded.
It was stated that between November 14 and 17, 2008 at Ramp Road Ruimveldt, Travis Sobers, 25, stole one 9 mm pistol, number 75C60521, valued $125,000, property of the GDF.
Within the same period Sobers also stole 50 rounds of ammunition, also the property of the GDF. Sobers was also charged with having in his possession between November 14 and 17, one 9 mm pistol and ammunition without being the holder of a valid firearm licence.
The man pleaded guilty to all of the charges after the Administration of Justice Act (AJA) was applied by Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton to the originally indictable charge of larceny of the firearm.
According to Police Prosecutor Desiree Fowler, during the given dates Sobers was a private attached to the GDF Coast Guard at Ramp Road, Ruimveldt. He was aboard the MV Essequibo when he stole the pistol and ammunition. Investigations were launched and he was questioned and then handed over to the police where further investigations were carried out and the charges were instituted.
Sobers was sentenced to three years each for possession of firearm and ammunition and he received 18 months for larceny of ammunition and two years for larceny of firearm. The two three-year sentences and the 18-month sentence are to run concurrently, while the two-year sentence will run consecutively, resulting in Sobers having to spend a total of five years in prison for the four charges.
He was represented by Attorney-at-Law James Bond who told the court that his client was sorry for his transgressions.
Meanwhile, Kevin Martin of 75 Craig Street, Camp-bellville was remanded when he too appeared before Magistrate Octive-Hamilton facing two charges relating to the theft of the pistol and ammunition. It is alleged that between November 14 and 17 Martin had in his possession one 9 mm pistol, number 75C60521, and 12 rounds of 9 mm ammunition without being the holder of a valid firearm licence.
His attorney Adrian Thompson argued that the weapon and ammunition were left at his home by “a soldier” and they were not specifically in his possession as he neither took them nor left them there. Thompson said that when his client noticed the story about a missing Coast Guard weapon, he took the weapon that had been left at his house to the police. “He should not be charged,” Thompson emphasized. The lawyer also said that this should be a special reason why his client should be admitted to reasonable bail. Prosecutor Fowler objected to bail, citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offence and emphasizing that it was an army weapon the man had in his possession.
The magistrate then refused bail and remanded Martin.
A GDF press release issued several days ago had stated that several officers and ratings of the Coast Guard were assisting with investigations into the disappearance of an M35 Browning pistol and 37 rounds of 9 mm ammunition.
The release had said that the weapon and ammunition were discovered missing from the small arms magazine aboard the GDFS Essequibo which was moored alongside the wharf at the Headquarters of the Coast Guard.
Subsequently Major Earle Daniel had said that a Coast Guard member and two civilians were in custody over the matter and the pistol and a quantity of ammunition were recovered. He also added that investigations were continuing.
