SWAT team rank remanded on ammo charges

A member of the Guyana Police Force was remanded to prison on charges that he was found with a range of ammunition.

The court heard that on December 15, 2015, at Georgetown, Quacy Springer, of Kitty, had in his possession 19 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, six .45 live rounds of ammunition, five 12 gauge cartridges and one .223 live round of ammunition without being the holder of a firearm licence.

The 35-year-old, who has been a part of the Guyana Police Force for the past 12 years and also a part of the SWAT team, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Attorney Patrice Henry, who appeared on behalf of the accused, stated that the matter in which his client was brought before the court is a rather unfortunate one. He stated that the complainant in the matter, whose name was not revealed, would have made the report against Springer prior to a severed relationship between the two although she is married.

He further added that the complainant lives abroad and whenever she was in the country she would reside at the said address in which the ammunition were found, which was given as Lot 52, Roxanne Burnham Gardens.

Henry said that his client would meet with the complainant from time to time and she subsequently purchased him a vehicle. He also made mention of the fact that since the complainant returned to Guyana in October, 2015, she confronted Springer, stating that she heard he was in a relationship with someone else.

According to the attorney, Springer told her that he had moved on, which angered her and resulted in her asking that the accused return the vehicle and stating that she would “set him up”. The complainant later reported to the Ruimveldt Police Station that there is ammunition at her home. Henry highlighted that the ammunition was found in the complainant’s home and not in the presence of the accused, who denied having knowledge of the said ammunition. He made the court aware of the fact that it was only yesterday morning that his client was called by TSU (Tactical Services Unit) and told that he would be charged for the offence. Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones highlighted, however, that the accused was a caretaker of the house at Lot 52 Roxanne Burnham Gardens. He added that Springer would occupy a room at the home and that on the day in question, it is alleged that he brandished a gun at the complainant, which made her afraid of him. The ammunition was found in a box in Springer’s wardrobe.

Springer was remanded to prison and is expected to return to court on February 15.