Taxi driver allegedly found with shotgun, ganja near robbery scene remanded

Aug 15, 2017 News

The taxi driver who was reportedly held in the vicinity of a robbery committed on a Corentyne couple at Number 73 village Corentyne last Saturday has been remanded to jail on three charges.

The seized shotgun.

Rabindra Kumar, 27, a taxi driver of Number 72 village, Corentyne, appeared yesterday before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh in the Springlands Magistrate’s Court.

The court heard that on Saturday 5th August at his 72 Village, home, Corentyne, he had in his possession one 12 gauge pump action shot gun and two live rounds. He is also charged with being in possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking – 15 grams of cannabis was allegedly found at his home, and possession of narcotics -11 grams which was found on his person when he was nabbed in his car.

According to information, Vidya Gopaul, 26, her husband Satesh Ramrattan, 27, and their four year old son had retired to bed around 22:30 hrs. The woman shortly after heard a loud noise and voices, and awoke her husband. The husband jumped off their bed and switched on the lights, it was then that they realized bandits had entered their home. The pregnant woman bolted the bedroom door.

The men began banging on the door when Ramrattan, his wife and son jumped from their bedroom window and landed on a neighbour’s shed. By then some of the men had managed to enter the room and fired two shots as the trio ran to safety. They managed to run to Gopaul’s mother’s house, located two lots away from theirs and immediately contacted the police.

The men reportedly ransacked the family’s home in their absence, in search of valuables, and ate and drank during the time spent at the house. They managed to escape with an estimated $1.2 Million in jewellery, US $1000 in cash, a tablet and a cellphone.

Gopaul was taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital for a medical examination. The couple’s son sustained minor scratches.

The police had come upon a vehicle with the driver (Kumar) inside, which was parked within close proximity of the crime scene.

When questioned, he had told the cops that he was waiting to collect “tall man”. However, he could not give an account of where “Tall man” lives or a number for the man. He told investigators that he was called from a blocked number. When searched, the cops unearthed 11 grams of cannabis. The police had further conducted searches at his home and found the shot gun and the 15 grams of marijuana.

He was remanded to jail until August 27. Five persons remain in custody as investigations continue.