Accused coastguard robbery accessory gets bail

One of the persons that allegedly aided the Coast Guardsmen charged with the murder of Bartica gold dealer Dweive Kant Ramdass to steal the money that the businessman was carrying was granted bail at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Yvonne Beckles was granted bail in the sum of $350 000 by Magistrate Fazil Azeez when the case was again called at the Court.

Three former Coast Guards, Sherwyn Hart, 26, of Lot 123 Block C Eccles, East Bank Demerara, Delon Gordon, 21, of Lot 108 C Field, Sophia and Deon Greenidge, 20, of Lot 166 Middle Road, La Penitence have been charged with the murder of Ramdass. They all were accused of murdering Ramdass, a gold dealer between August 20 and August 22 at Caiman Hole, East Bank Essequibo.

Shawn Ageda, 22, who is Hart’s brother, Beckles, 39, who is related to Greenidge; and Viola Adolphus, 32, who is Gordon’s sister, had been charged with being accessories. It is alleged that they aided the servicemen in stealing $17M from Ramdass. Beckles was granted bail yesterday.

Ramdass was on his way to Bartica with the money in a box to conduct business for his employer when he was taken off a boat he was in at Parika by three ranks in a Coast Guard vessel. The vessel left with the man heading in the direction of Bartica and that was the last time he was seen alive. His body was later found and an army inquiry had found the three coastguardsmen “responsible” for his death.

The case will be called again on October 20 at the Vreed-en-Hoop Court.