-one pleads guilty to gun possession
The two men who were saved by police from angry mob after robbing an Industry family were yesterday charged with robbery-under-arms and possession of a firearm without a licence.
Devon Marks, 19, of 175 Station Street, Kitty and Kelvin Critchlow, 23, of Oleander Gardens, East Coast Demerara, appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court and were not required to plea to the indictable charge of robbery under arms.
They were charged separately. The charges read that on September 22 at Cummings Lodge, armed with a gun, Marks and Critchlow robbed Ramdeo Ramdin of over $1.1M in cash, and jewellery valued $200,000, four cell phones valued at $60,000 and a camera valued at $6,000.
Meanwhile, Marks pleaded not guilty to being in possession of a .38 revolver without being the holder of a firearm licence on September 22 while Critchlow pleaded guilty to the same charge.
Marks’ attorney, Patrice Henry made an application for reasonable bail for his client who he said was a freelance musician but it was denied.
According to the police prosecutor Corporal Griffith, if granted bail the accused may attempt to tamper with the witnesses in relation to the robbery under arms charge. Henry replied that this was all speculation.
For the possession charge, the prosecutor said that no special circumstance was put forward by Henry as the law warrants.
Critchlow, who was unrepresented, did not put up a defence.
He merely stated his address and told the magistrate that he sold groceries in the market.
Both men were remanded on the charges.
Their next court appearance is October 12. Critchlow meanwhile will be sentenced on October 12 for his guilty plea to gun possession.
On September, the two men were saved by the police from a severe beating at the hands residents of Cummings Lodge, who caught them after they robbed Ramdin.
Police were forced to discharge three rounds in the air to disperse the crowd of people who were about to beat the men after pulling them from a weed-infested trench clad only in their underwear.
