Colwyn Harding bailed on alleged robbery with violence charge

Last Updated on Thursday, 17 July 2014, 19:30 by GxMedia

Colwyn Harding, who has sued the State for more than GUY$80 million for alleged torture and other constitutional infringements, on Thursday appeared in court on a charge of robbery with violence.

He pleaded not guilty to the offence he allegedly committed on Cheryl-Ann Hope on July 9, 2014. Harding was granted GUY$75,000 bail by Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and ordered to return to court on August 5 for statements.

The prosecution’s case is that, being armed with a cutlass, he arrived in a car and chopped and robbed Hope of three Samsung Galaxy S5 Cellular phones and GUY$30,000 cash with a total of value of GUY$390,000.

Hope alleged, in her statement to police, that she was standing next to Ashmin’s Store on Hadfield Street, Georgetown when Harding chopped her on one of her hands and took away the items when she fell.

Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru objected to bail based on the seriousness of the offence and the likelihood that he would tamper with the victim.

Mangru noted that Harding had eluded police, but in the end surrendered in the company of Attorney-at-Law, Nigel Hughes.

Hughes has questioned the reliability of the identification of his client because the police have three alibis and a witness has stated that the perpetrator was masked.

Harding rose to prominence earlier this year when he accused police of sodomizing him with a condom-covered baton at the Timehri Police Station during a theft probe. He has since sued the State for alleged torture and the breach of other constitutional rights.

Constables Devin Singh and Rosell Tilbury were charged with Assault Causing Actual Bodily Harm allegedly committed on Harding between November 1 and November 30, 2013. Singh was charged with assault  between November 1 and November 30, 2013. They  have pleaded not guilty to the offences and have been granted a total of GUY$300,000 bail.