Miner remanded over diamond dealer robbery

A 30-year-old miner accused of using a gun to rob three men of cash and other valuables in excess of $4 million  was yesterday remanded to prison after appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

The allegation against Ryan Couchman of 1360 Eighteenth Street, Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara is that on January 20 at Bel Air George-town, being armed with a gun, he robbed Samuel Oliveira of one laptop and a bag valued $210,000.

On January 20 with a gun also, Couchman is accused of robbing Vico Cohen of a quantity of cash, a cell phone, a camera, one LCD monitor and other items valued $4.4 million, property of Guy Logic Incorporated.

Ryan Couchman

Being armed with a gun on the same day, the defendant is alleged to have robbed Christopher Mc Adam of three cell phones and a quantity of cash valued $127,000.
The defendant was not required to plead to the three counts of the indictable charge of robbery under arms when they were read to him at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Attorney-at-law Patrice Henry who represented the accused told the court that he was appalled at the charges levelled against his client, describing them as baseless and trumped up.

According to Henry, his client was taken into custody at the Brickdam Police Station on Saturday on suspicion of murder but was informed on Monday that he would be charged for the present offences.

Henry assured the court that the truth of the matter will be ventilated at the trial, adding that he did not wish to get into further details.
The lawyer then made an application for his client to be admitted to reasonable bail on the grounds that he has a fixed address, poses no risk of flight and has been cooperating with police investigations.

Prosecutor Lionel Harvey, however, strongly objected to the accus-ed being granted his pretrial liberty, citing that it is not the first time that the man is being brought before the court for offences of a similar nature.

According to Harvey, the defendant has similar pending matters before the court, adding that he has violated his bail for those previous matters.  The prosecutor said further that if granted bail there is a likelihood that the accused may not return to stand trial.

In his client’s defence, Henry told the court that while it is true that Couchman has pending matters before the courts, he has never been absent when required to attend court.

In presenting the facts of the case, Harvey told the court that on the day in question, the accused went to Guy Logic Inc. under the pretense of wanting to conduct business but eventually held the virtual complainants who were there at gunpoint and demanded the articles mentioned in the charges.
Harvey said that the defendant was assisted by a group of men who managed to escape and have since not been identified or found.

The court then heard that the accused made good his escape with the items in his car but was later apprehended, arrested and charged by the police after  the incident was reported.

While at the Brickdam Police Station, Harvey said that the complainants identified the accused as the perpetrator.
After listening to the case, the prosecution’s request was granted and the father of one was remanded to prison.
Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry advised the lawyer that he could take his bail application elsewhere.
The matter was adjourned to February 11 for report.