Soldiers accused of ‘choke and rob’ attack

Two Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers were yesterday remanded to prison after they were charged with choking a man and robbing him of his phone.

Thunderus Richards, 20, of Lot 96 Plum Park, Sophia, and Claude Seymour, also 20, of 530 Enmore, East Coast Demerara, were read a robbery with violence charge by Magistrate Judy Latchman in Georgetown.

It is alleged that the two, on September 12, at Timehri, East Bank Demerara, robbed Keron Wills of a $17,000 BLU phone and before, during or after, made use of personal violence.

Both men denied the charge.

Attorney Clyde Forde, who represented both of the men, requested reasonable bail for his clients.

However, Police Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt objected to bail being granted based on the seriousness of the crime.

Hunt told the court that on the day in question the complainant was walking through a shortcut at Timehri, where the accused choked him and robbed him of his phone. He added that an alarm was raised by Wills and public-spirited citizens apprehended Seymour, who later implicated Richards.

A third suspect is being sought in connection with the crime, the court was also told.

Magistrate Latchman subsequently remanded both men and adjourned the matter until September 18, when it will be heard by the Chief Magistrate.