Policeman charged with Crabwood Creek robbery

Two men, including a Police Constable stationed in Berbice, were each granted $300,000 bail yesterday after they appeared before the Springlands Magistrate’s Court charged with the December 23 Crabwood Creek robbery.

Police Constable Colin Jonas and Marvin Samaroo, 39, of Cumberland, Canje, Berbice appeared before Magistrate Omeana Hamilton charged with robbery with aggravation.

It is alleged that on December 23 the men robbed businessman Ramesh Kalicharran of Crabwood Creek, Corentyne.

Magistrate Hamilton granted the men $300,000 bail each. They are to return to court on January 21, 2010, police reported in a press statement yesterday afternoon.

In an earlier release police had stated that they were investigating the robbery which occurred around 8 pm at Grant 1805, Crabwood Creek on December 23. Kalicharran, 53, was robbed by two men.  Investigations revealed that Kalicharran was in the shop when the two men entered under the pretext of purchasing aerated drinks.

As the businessman was in the process of handing them the drinks, the men held on to his hands and one of them placed a pair of handcuffs on him.

The release had stated that the men then demanded cash and jewellery and the victim handed over his personal jewellery valued at $100,000 along with $400,000 cash after which they escaped. The police responded quickly to the report and acting on information received stopped a motor car with two men, one of whom was reportedly Jonas, at a roadblock that had been established at the No.76 Village Public Road, Corentyne.

They were arrested and taken to the Springlands Police Station along with the motor vehicle where “the police constable was identified by the victim as being one of the men who had robbed him”.

A third man was later taken into custody, however, charges have not been brought against him and it is unclear whether he is still in police custody.