A youth was on Monday freed of one of the robbery charges pending against him after the virtual complainant was compensated for the articles stolen from her.
Daniel McArthur, who was placed on $150,000 bail, was freed of the robbery charge when the matter was called before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus in Georgetown.
The charge stated that on April 29, at North Road, Georgetown, McArthur stole two gold chains, valued $224,000, from Janetta Morris.
According to the police’s case, the woman was in a bus when McArthur walked up to the vehicle, grabbed her chains and escaped. He was reportedly chased by the conductor and was apprehended. The woman then positively identified him.
During a previous hearing, McArthur pleaded not guilty and was placed on bail. He was also ordered to stay 100 feet away from Morris, her residence and her workplace. At another hearing the court heard that Morris and McArthur had come to a decision for him to compensate her $200,000 in order for the charge to be dismissed.
Yesterday, the woman admitted to the court that she wanted to end proceedings against McArthur.
While the charge has been dismissed, McArthur remains behind bars at the Lusignan Prison, where he was remanded after being charged with armed robbery. He is jointly charged with Stephon Daphness, 24, of Lot 86 Hill Street, Charlestown.
The two men had appeared before Sparendaam Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool, who remanded them after reading the charge, which alleges that on May 13, at Second Street, Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, while in the company of each other and armed with a gun, they robbed Miles Burrowes of a Toyota Allion, valued $3,200,000, and property of Sandra Bradley. They also allegedly took a cellphone and cash, amounting to a total of $90,000, that were the property of Burrowes.
The two men allegedly hijacked the man’s taxi before they held him at gunpoint and tied his arms and feet with belts. The two men then removed the articles mentioned in the charge. The driver was eventually able to escape and the men were arrested the following day.
