Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
Kirpalani store robbery suspects freed
Five months after being accused of staging a daring $17.25M armed robbery on a popular city store, the embattled store clerk and two others yesterday walked out of the city court free men after the Chief Magistrate dismissed the charge instituted against them.
Freed Alistair Naughton smiled brightly as he walked happily towards the court lockouts to gather his belongings.
Howard Rambarose, Rajiv Rajesh Singh, of Lot 216 Laing Avenue, West La Penitence, Georgetown; and Alistair Naughton of Phase Two, East La Penitence, Georgetown had been accused of holding up Mahesh Chetrani with a handgun on December 20, last, in Georgetown and getting away with $17,250,000; monies belonging to the business owner, Shamdas Kirpalani.
Previous reports are that around 8:15 hours on that day, Singh (the store’s clerk at the time) was in the company’s vehicle with the store’s manager en route to the Bank of Baroda.
Singh, it was reported, was carrying a carton containing the hefty sum when he was held up by Rambarose and Naughton who were allegedly armed with handguns.
The men then reportedly relieved him of the cash which he and the store manager were about to deposit and fled. The prosecution had explained that they were, however later arrested and charged for the crime.
Following intense police investigations, the store clerk and two others were on December 27, 2013 brought before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to be jointly charged for the alleged armed robbery.
The trial engaged the attention of the court for the past few months and several witnesses were called to take the stand on behalf of the Prosecution.
However, at the last few court hearings the continuous witnesses no shows resulted in it being dismissed during the last court hearing yesterday.
Attorney at Law Kendaise Rodney yesterday made a request for the case to be dismissed since the witnesses continued to be absent. The Chief Magistrate granted the request and dismissed the case against the accused.
Defence Attorney Peter Hugh had represented Naughton throughout the case.
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