Two more persons were yesterday arraigned on armed robbery and abduction charges stemming from the attack in which $42M was stolen from the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) during a transfer to the Bourda Post Office.
Simeon Williams, of Lot 36 Savage Street, West La Penitence and Oliver Franklin, a vendor of Lot 102 Parfaite Harmony, West Bank Demerara, were yesterday remanded to prison after they appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court 1.
The men were not required to plead to six indictable charges, including armed robbery and abduction.
It is alleged that on April 1, at Regent Street, Georgetown, Williams and Franklin, being armed with a gun, robbed policeman Andre July of $42,000,000, which was the property of the GPOC. They are also accused of robbing him of a G3 rifle and 22 rounds of ammunition, which belonged to the Guyana Police Force, as well as a cellphone.
It is also alleged that on the same day, the two accused, being together with others and armed with a gun, robbed Darwin Hinds of a $3,400,270 pit-bull minibus, PSS 6641, that belonged to the GPOC.
Further, it is alleged that Williams and Franklin, wrongfully restrained July and Hinds and abducted them.
Another man, Stravo Evans was charged last week Wednesday with the same crimes and he was remanded to prison. Police had said that the robbers held up the police escort and the driver of the post office bus on Regent Street, Bourda.
The police said the men took away the policeman’s rifle then entered the vehicle and forced the driver to drive away, with the policeman. The robbers then abandoned the vehicle along Cemetery Road, Georgetown, where they joined a car and escaped with the money along with the policeman’s weapon.
Police Prosecutor Mangru objected to bail and he said if bail is granted it is likely that the defendants would not return to the court for trial. He also told the court that the men were positively identified by Hinds on Thursday during an identification parade as the persons involved in the robbery.Asked about previous charges, Williams replied that he was charged with simple larceny, while Franklin said he was charged with trafficking narcotics. However, they said they were never convicted.
Bail was refused and the duo along with Evans will make their next court appearance on Monday.
