Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Magistrate frees robbery accused after police fail to complete investigations
Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman dismissed a robbery under-arms charge against former murder accused Jamil Charles, due to the police failure to conduct investigations in a timely manner.
ROBBERY ACCUSED: Jamil Charles
Charles, 29, of Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown was told he was free to go by Magistrate Latchman, after spending almost two months on remand for the offence.
The charge against Charles had alleged that on August 12, 2016 at 33 Robb Street and Orange Walk, Bourda, Georgetown while armed with a gun, he robbed Juliet Kowlessar of $900,000 and a Bank of Guyana cheque, property of Sudesh Persaud.
On every occasion that the matter was called, Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves always disclosed that investigations in the matter were incomplete and that statements were not ready to be filed.
Last week Monday, the prosecutor was warned by the Magistrate that the matter would be dismissed yesterday (peremptory date) if the status of police investigation remains the same. At Charles’ first court appearance, Prosecutor Gonsalves had told the court the accused was positively identified by the victim and that he confessed to the crime in an oral statement.
However, Charles remains on remand for a $9M robbery which occurred at the Princess Ramada Casino, Providence, East Bank Demerara on April 29, 2016.
Three other men are also charged with the robbery.
Wayne Griffith, 29 of Bagotville, West Bank Demerara; Junior Stuart, 30, of 141 Thomas Street, Kitty, Georgetown and Andre Blackman, 35, of 6 Middle Street, McDoom, East Bank Demerara, were all previously charged in connection with the Princess Ramada Casino robbery. The three men are currently out on bail.
According to reports, gunmen entered the casino and discharged several rounds.
They allegedly relieved a security guard of his shotgun and ordered patrons and staffers to lie on the ground. It was reported that the armed men also held a cashier at gunpoint and made off with a quantity of local and foreign currency.
Charles was also charged with the March 10, 2015 murder of Agricola, East Bank Demerara shopkeeper Randy Persaud. But the matter was discharged by Magistrate Dylon Bess on March 9, due to insufficient evidence.
Based on reports, 27-year-old Persaud was gunned down while sitting in front of his home at Lot 83 Third Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara.
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