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Aug 07, 2014 News
A 39-year-old man accused of opening fire on a police rank with an illegal gun was remanded to prison when he appeared before a senior Magistrate yesterday.
Almost nine months after the incident, charges relating to the possession of an illegal weapon and matching ammunition as well as discharging a loaded firearm at the police who tried to arrest him were leveled against Lloyd Johnson of Wismar, Linden at the Georgetown Magistrates Court.
The police claim that on November 25, last at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara Johnson had a .32 revolver and three matching rounds of live ammunition in his possession while he was not the holder of a firearm licence.
He was also charged for discharging a loaded firearm at Leslie Eastman, a police rank attempting to arrest him, with intent to maim, harm, disable, disfigure or cause him actual bodily harm.
Johnson was not required to plead to the indictable charges
His lawyer, Denise Hodge, submitted a bail application but Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry ordered him held until his next court hearing.
The case was prosecuted by Inspector Michael Grant who said that Johnson was placed on station bail and the file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chambers for advice.
Recounting the incident, the Prosecutor explained that a party of police ranks went to investigate a matter at Liliendaal and Johnson fired shots at them.
They returned fire and Johnson was injured and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was treated.
The court heard that Johnson was released on station bail and the police were unable to locate him for some time. The police claimed that yesterday when Johnson went to inquire about his bail refund he was re-arrested to be taken before the courts.
Johnson’s attorney however, said that on the day of the incident Johnson and a few others were sitting in front of a house at Liliendaal when they were approached by unidentifiable persons who pulled out guns. She said that her client became afraid and returned fire.
She told the court that her client was the sole bread winner of his family. The court heard too that Johnson was charged before but never convicted.
Her application was met with objections from the Prosecutor who noted the nature of the offence and that extreme violence was used. He pointed out that no special reason was given for Johnson to be allowed his pre-trial liberty.
The Chief Magistrate denied Johnson bail. The case was transferred to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court to be called before Magistrate Alex Moore on August 7.
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