Two of the four men nabbed by police over a series of crimes over the last three months were yesterday remanded to prison after being faced with a total of 13 joint charges, including multiple counts of armed robbery as well as shooting at police, abduction, and attempting to commit a felony.
The charges were read to 18-year-old Emmanuel Hale, a security guard of Lot 380 ‘B’ Field, Sophia, and Hamza Samuels, 22, a plumber and electrician of Lot 386 ‘B’ Field, Sophia, at separate hearings at the Georgetown and Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts.
In the city court, Hale and Samuels appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly and were not required to plead to four of the charges.
It was alleged that on August 18, at Mandela Avenue, they discharged a firearm at the police with intent to maim, disfigure or cause grievous bodily harm to them.
It was also alleged that at Kitty, Georgetown, while being armed with a gun, they robbed Ershad Mohammed of a haversack worth $40,000, an HP laptop valued $120,000, US$500 and $50,000 in cash.
The men were also charged with using a gun at Thomas Street to rob Brindsley Thom of two cell phones, valued at $75,000, a brown wallet worth $8,000, along with $50,000 in cash and US$600.
Additionally, it was alleged that Hale and Samuels, while at Longden Street, Georgetown, stole a black bag worth $6,500, a cellphone valued $51,000, US$20, and $28,000 in cash, which were the property of Jomo August.
The men were remanded to prison and the matters were adjourned until November 14, 2022.
The two defendants were later transported to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, where they appeared before Magistrate Rushelle Liverpool and were faced with nine additional charges.
It was alleged that the defendants on August 18, at Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara (ECD), abducted Joshua Singh with intent to cause him to be secretly confined.
The men were also charged with robbing Singh of an Allion motorcar, valued at over $1.7 million, a cellphone worth $70,000, and $40,000 in cash.
During the series of robberies on the same date, it is alleged that Hale and Samuels, while at Ogle, also robbed Anand Ramdeo of $73,000 in articles.
It is alleged that the men then carried out a robbery at Red Road, Sophia, where they are accused of relieving Jenny Mingo of $293,000 in items.
It is further alleged that on June 12, at Sparendaam Housing Scheme, while being armed with a cutlass, they robbed Royston Adams of over $1.4 million in articles, including a Taurus pistol along with matching ammunition.
Hale and Samuels were also charged with robbing Gregory Grey of over $800,000 in phones, gold jewellery and other items, on June 26 at Sophia, Greater Georgetown,.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the robbery charges read to them at the Sparendaam court and the proceedings were all adjourned until October 7,, 2022.
Additionally, Samuels denied two other charges read solely to him. It is alleged that the defendant on July 24, at ‘B’ Field, Sophia, while being armed with a gun, robbed Collin Robinson of $1.95 million in items. It is further alleged that on July 31, at Cummings Park, Sophia, he robbed Angela Delayra, of $944,000 in articles.
Meanwhile, Hale was separately charged with attempting to commit a felony over a bid to rob Ezra Roberts. He pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors at the two courts objected to bail due to the defendants having pending matters of a similar nature in various magisterial courts along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) had previously said that they were alerted of a robbery on Lamaha Street, Georgetown last Thursday, which was being done by persons in a white Allion motorcar bearing registration number PSS 2705.
As a result, anti-crime patrols were dispatched through the streets of Georgetown. According to a GPF statement, one of the patrols observed the car driving along the Agricola Access Road. As the rank tried to intercept the car, the driver drove away, resulting in a high speed chase.
The police said as the car turned on Hunter Street and upon approaching Mandela Avenue, the driver lost control and crashed into the northern barriers. Ranks who then tried to approach the vehicle observed that four males were exiting the car and they then began to run, while loud explosions, suspected to be gunshots were heard coming from the direction of the men. A shootout ensued.
The statement had said that shortly after, another rank arrived on the scene and a search was carried out. During the search, one of the suspects, Rawle Franklin, was seen lying on the northern parapet bleeding from injuries, while another, Andrew Newyear, was seen lying in a yard also with injuries. Newyear subsequently succumbed in hospital to his injuries while Franklin remains hospitalized.
A further search was carried out in another yard where Hale and Samuels were found hiding. In addition, while conducting a search on motorcar PSS 2705, ranks had discovered Singh, who was locked in the trunk of the vehicle.
According to the Police, Singh related that while sitting in his car at a taxi base at Vryheid’s Lust, he was approached by three men and one pointed a gun at him and ordered him to exit the car. They then took him at the back of the car where they locked him in the trunk.
