A New Amsterdam man, who was found guilty of being in possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, was on Tuesday sentenced to a total of six years imprisonment.
Cortez Fraser, 24, of New Amsterdam, appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh at the Albion Magistrate’s Court, where he was found guilty of being in possession of a firearm while not being the holder of a licence, and also for being in possession of ammunition while not being the holder of a licence.
Fraser, who was unrepresented, was sentenced to three years each on both counts. However, he will serve only three years in total, since the sentences will run concurrently.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Singh said that Fraser, who represented himself during the trial, placed a lot of focus on the meaning of “possession”.
Magistrate Singh said she believes that Fraser gave his statement free and voluntarily. She also noted that the statement of the ranks in the matter were corroborated by that of the taxi driver who was involved in the matter.
Meanwhile, Fraser who was not visibly remorseful constantly interrupted the magistrate while she read her verdict.
Fraser said that the justice system is rigged to jail persons who cannot afford to hire an attorney, while alleging that the magistrate did not carry out her duties properly. “You believe the police, the police have no fault, the police don’t do nothing wrong”, he said, as he rudely interrupted the magistrate.
He further noted that he would work hard to get the means to appeal the case, in the hope of returning from prison at an earlier time.
In March, 2017 Fraser was arrested a few moments after he had disposed of a .38 revolver and four matching rounds, after he had realised that he had attracted the attention of a detective.
A Detective Constable, who was attached to the Whim Police Station, was travelling along the Number One Public Road when he noticed Fraser, an ex-convict, whom he had put away for armed robbery, riding in front of him on a motorcycle.
Fraser, at that time, had just been released from prison, after having served three years for robbery.
However, shortly after, the ex-convict collided with a car. “Somewhere in Albion area, the motor car attempted to make a U-turn, and while making that U-turn the motorcycle collided with the car,” now retired Commander of B Division, Ian Amsterdam had said.
According to Amsterdam in 2017, the detective then observed that the ex-convict, who had fallen to the ground, had gotten up. Fraser then opted to leave the motorcycle on the ground and asked the driver, who had struck him to take him somewhere.
The Commander had related that the detective then began following the car, which dropped the ex-convict at Anamayah Street, in Hampshire Village, Corentyne. “He came out of the car and started walking towards the detective, who was behind. At that stage, he pulled out what appeared to be a firearm and threw it away, Amsterdam said, while noting that by that time, the requested back up had arrived. The ex-convict was then arrested and the detective recovered the revolver with four matching rounds and the ex-convict arrested.
Amsterdam had also noted that the motorcycle, which Fraser was riding, had been stolen from a resident of Canje, on March 5th, 2017, and had been outfitted with a fake licence plate, CG 2898.
Meanwhile, Fraser, after being arrested had told investigators that he had been hired by a Jamaican National to rob and shoot a well-known businessman in the Rose Hall Town, Corentyne Area.
