Miner gets four years for armed robberies

Devon Holder
Devon Holder

A West Bank Demerara miner was yesterday sentenced to a total of four years in prison after he pleaded guilty to two robbery charges.

It was alleged that Devon Holder, 34, on January 9th at Stabroek Market, stole a gold chain, valued $530,000, which was the property of Rafeek Mohammed.

The court of city magistrate Annette Singh heard that Holder was seen on camera stealing the item and that he admitted his crime to the police.

A second charge alleged that Holder on April 5th at Stabroek Market, while being armed with a knife, robbed Pamela Gibson of a chain, valued $100,000, and at the time of, before or after used personal violence on the woman.

The court was told that Gibson was shopping in Stabroek Market when Holder approached her, held a knife to her neck and took the chain from her. He then took the chain to a goldsmith, where it was later recovered.

After Holder pleaded guilty to both charges, Magistrate Singh sentenced the man to two years in prison for each charge. The sentences will run consecutively. In explaining her decision, Magis-trate Singh said she considered the fact that Holder had been before her court for similar offences and was a repeat offender.