Herstelling father charged over armed robberies

A father of six, implicated in two armed robberies on the East Bank Demerara, was yesterday remanded to prison after denying the charges in a city court.

Ron Simmons, 31, of 153 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore to face a charge that on May 3, 2015 at Covent Garden, armed with a gun, he robbed Valdez Nickram of a quantity of jewellery valued $1 million, four phones valued $140,000, $100,000 and three wrist watches, valued $39,000.

It is also alleged that on March 3, 2016, at Diamond, armed with a gun, he robbed Carlos Marino of a $100,000 computer, a $40,000 phone, a pair of $10,000 boots, an $8,000 bag and US$300.

Simmons pleaded not guilty to both charges.

The prosecution objected to bail based on the seriousness and the prevalence of the crime and the penalty it attracts.

The court heard that both files were incomplete.

Simmons was later remanded to prison by Magistrate Azore, who set November 18 as the date for the next hearing.