Keon Kelvin, found guilty of trailing a woman after she left a city bank and robbing her at gun-point, was yesterday sentenced to four years in prison.
Kelvin, 25, of Agricola, East Bank Demerara, was moved to tears when Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry informed him that he would be spending the next four years in prison.
The magistrate, in handing down her ruling, said that coupled with the factors in mitigation presented by defence counsel Adrian Thompson, the court also took into consideration that the defendant had been on remand for three months.
Additionally, the court considered also that the defendant has a pending matter in which he is charged with having in his possession an unlicensed gun and ammunition. It is alleged he committed the crime while he was already on bail on the robbery charge.
The charge stated that on October 31, 2013, at Hinck Street, Georgetown, being armed with a gun, Kelvin robbed Ann Welsh of a shoulder bag, a BlackBerry smartphone, and $180,000, among other items, all totalling $190,000.
The prosecution’s facts are that on the day in question Welsh went to Scotiabank on Robb Street and withdrew $180,000.
Prosecutor Bharat Mangru had explained at the first hearing that as the Welsh walked away from the bank, she observed Kelvin following her and as a result she went into a pharmacy at the corner of Robb and Hinck Streets.
According to Mangru, Kelvin walked past the pharmacy but subsequently returned, pulled out his gun, discharged a round and demanded that Welsh hand over her handbag. Mangru said that Welsh became scared and handed over her bag after which the man ran away.
The matter was later reported, investigations were conducted and Kelvin was arrested and charged.
Kelvin pleaded not guilty to the charge at his arraignment on December 2 and was remanded to prison. He was then granted bail at a subsequent hearing.
Kelvin was found guilty on July 22, but his sentence was deferred to yesterday to facilitate his lawyer presenting mitigating factors to the court. His trial, which commenced on March 12, saw a total of six witnesses being called by the prosecution.
