Duo stole over $6M in jewels, other items -court told

Two men who were charged with breaking into a house at Golden Grove and stealing over $6M worth of gold jewellery and other articles were refused bail when they made their court appearance yesterday before acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.

Richard Jairam

Richard Jairam and Mervyn Small were not required to plead when the indictable charge was read to them. It is alleged that on August 16 at Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara, they broke and entered the dwelling of Denesh Singh and stole a quantity of gold jewellery and other articles valued at $6,265,000, property of Singh.

Jairam called `Bakewell’, of 472 Grove Housing Scheme, EBD, was represented by attorney Adrian Thompson while Small, 26, of 593 Diamond, EBD, was represented by attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat.

Thompson noted the date of the offence and said that the police arrested his client four days ago and he  wondered about the lapse of time. He queried if Jairam had committed the crime if he would still be in the jurisdiction. He said that his client was arrested at home and none of the articles was recovered at his home nor was he seen with them at any time. The attorney argued that his client was not guilty of the charge and asked for bail to be granted since the offence was a bailable one.

Meanwhile Police Prosecutor Lionel Harvey said that Jairam was charged with others in a matter of a similar nature and when he was granted bail, he fled to Trinidad.  He added that the number one accused returned to Guyana a few months ago and is now involved in this matter. In the circumstance, he added, if he were to be granted bail there was a possibility that he might flee the jurisdiction once again. Harvey said that Small was also known to the court.

Mervyn Small

He objected to the granting of bail and asked for a date so that he may seek the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions on the application of the Administration of Justice Act in the matter.

Bail was then refused and the matter comes up again on September 22 at the Provi-dence Magistrate’s Court.