A third man has been charged with the robbery of the America Street moneychangers, who were earlier this month ambushed by gunmen.
Calvin Johnson, 34, of Lot 145 East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, who turned himself into police, was faced with two counts of armed robbery at a city court yesterday.
The first charge read to Johnson stated that on November 3rd, at America Street, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Rayburn Fraser of a quantity of local and foreign currency totaling $1,600,000. Johnson was also accused of robbing Osafo Ward of a quantity of Guyana and US currency, valued at $540,000.
The accused pleaded not guilty to both charges read.
The prosecution reported that after the two initial suspects were arrested for the matter, Johnson had admitted to being in their company when the robbery occurred. The prosecution also stated that the accused was placed on an identification parade and had been positively identified by the complainants.
Johnson denied the prosecution’s accusations, telling the court that he had turned himself in after he realised he was being implicated in the crime. According to him, he had never made any statement to the police or admitted in any way to being involved in the robbery of the moneychangers.
Magistrate Judy Latchman denied the accused’s application for bail despite his claim that he was not a flight risk. She ordered that he instead be remanded to prison until his next court appearance, which is set to occur on December 1st in Court 3.
On November 9th, Troy Abrams, 40, and Anthony Primo, 30, were both charged with the armed robbery of Fraser and Ward, which had occurred a week prior at America Street.
Both men had denied the allegations, claiming they had alibis for the night in question, and that the identification parades they were subjected to had been staged. They are set to have their next hearing on December 11th before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
