Sophia man charged over eight-year-old robbery of childhood friend

Rawle Noel was on Thursday remanded after answering a charge for an armed robbery he allegedly committed on a childhood friend in 2003.

Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry remanded Noel, 38, of Sophia, when he appeared before her in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The allegation is that on March 4, 2003, at Middle Street, Noel armed himself with a gun and robbed Stanley Gilgeous of a quantity of gold jewellery worth $250,000.

The court heard that on the said day, Gilgeous and friends were drinking at a bar, when Noel and two accomplices entered the bar and robbed  Gilgeous of the jewellery. The matter was reported to the police and the Gilgeous described Noel, whom he knew since childhood, to police. A few days ago, he saw Noel at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and notified police.

Noel pleaded not guilty to the charge and the prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that the defendant had disappeared for a long time and if granted bail he is unlikely to return to court.

Noel was remanded until November 11.