Reporters threatened again as Berbice trio returns to court on more armed robbery charges

Last Updated on Wednesday, 8 November 2017, 17:12 by Denis Chabrol

The lives and safety of four media operatives were earlier Wednesday threatened once more as three Berbice men returned to court to face several charges for robbery under arms.

The trio- 18-year-old Peter Baker, 22-year-old Leroy Guevara and 28-year-old Aubrey Grant- were further remanded by Magistrate Renita Singh at the Reliance Magistrate Court after they were not required to plea to the charges read to them.

The court heard that the men on Tuesday 17th October, 2017 at Workshop street, Canefield, East Canje, being in the company of others and armed with a gun robbed Nafeeza Azeez of one gold with diamond ring valued $86,000, two gold rings valued $50,000, one Brazilian gold chain valued $1,500 and $7,000 cash total value $144,000. The trio also on the same night at  Workshop street, Canefield, East Canje, being in the company of others and armed with a gun robbed Drupattie Azeez of one Samsung Galaxy cell phone valued $75,000. Further, on the said date at Workshop street, Canefield, East Canje, being in the company of others and armed with a gun, the trio robbed Dirk Sharpe of one Mega Pix cellphone valued $7,000.

The three men were further charged with Break and Enter and Larceny committed on one Bisham Sarju. The court heard that between Monday October 30th and Tuesday October 31st, the trio broke into the grocery shop of Bisham Sarju located at New Street, Cumberland East Canje and stole therein: one Samsung laptop computer valued $120,000, one Blu cellphone valued $7,000, one Alcatel cellphone valued $7,500, a quantity of cosmetics valued $120,000, a quantity of cigarettes valued $120,000, a quantity of lighters valued $1,800, a quantity of groceries valued $25,000 and $60,000 cash total value $480,000.

The trio was then slapped with a charge of malicious damage to property owned by Bisham Sarju. The men at New Street, Cumberland East Canje on the said date unlawfully and maliciously damaged five surveillance cameras valued $90,000.

The prosecutor objected to to bail due to the nature and gravity of the offense and the fact that surveillance footage captured two of the men breaking into one of the homes. As such, they were denied bail and remanded to prison by Magistrate Singh until December 20th, 2017.

Meanwhile, one of the suspects, Aubrey Baker in the presence of the Magistrate and members of the Guyana Police Force, attempted to slap one of the reporters present in the court room. Further, while making their way out of court, Baker become annoyed that he was being recorded by media operatives and picked up a stone and attempted to assault the group of reporters present.

He was not handcuffed at the time, only shackled at the feet. He then threatened to ‘deal with’ a reporter attached to the Guyana Times stating that ‘I will jug yuh on the road when I see yuh’.

Previously, the men were slapped with two robbery under arms charge at the New Amsterdam Magistrate Court. There, the said Aubrey Baker attempted to assault the reporters present but was restrained by police officers.

Official complaints by the four media workers has been made and investigations are ongoing.