Suspect charged over $6M Bounty cash transport stick-up

Omika Gomes, accused of being one of the three men who robbed a Bounty Meat Centre security officer of $6M in cash during an ambush on Tuesday night, was yesterday remanded to prison.

Gomes appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on two armed robbery charges stemming from the attack, which occurred on Tuesday.

The court was told that Gomes, being armed with a gun, robbed Vibert Da Silva of $6,345,000, which was the property of John Fernandes. It was further alleged that Gomes also robbed Da Silva of a gold ring, a .32 pistol with two magazines with matching ammunition and a car, all valued at $2,200,000 in total.

No further details were given to the court.

The prosecution objected to bail given the serious nature of the allegations and Gomes was denied his pre-trial liberty and the case was adjourned until January 10, 2013 for reports and fixtures.

Police had said the attack occurred at about 6:50pm along Robb Street, Georgetown, when Da Silva, 61, was confronted by the men, who used a push cart to block the path of his car, and then held him at gunpoint.

The men then took away the cash, a .32 semi automatic Beretta pistol with matching ammunition and escaped in his car, which was later found abandoned at Stone Avenue, Campbellville.