Latest update February 11th, 2025 2:15 PM
Latest News
- Govt. makes move to cancel CGX, Frontera Corentyne block license in 30 days
- ExxonMobil paying taxes in Bahamas but not a cent to Guyana
- Canadian company completes airstrip, roads to kick off 5.4M ounce gold project in Guyana
- Hamas threatens to postpone next hostage release, claiming Israel has broken terms of ceasefire deal
- Twelve-year-old girl missing for three weeks
Lethem teen faces court for illegal gun, threatening mother
…also indicted for escaping police custody
A teenager, charged for threatening to kill his mother, being in illegal possession of a handgun and escape from lawful
Accused:
Wendson Thomas
custody, was granted bail when he appeared in court yesterday.
Wendson Thomas, 17, of Lethem, Rupununi was taken before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to respond to the three charges. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered to post $210,000 bail.
The court was told that on August 11, Thomas allegedly used threatening behaviour towards his mother, Wendy Thomas, at Karasabai, South Rupununi.
Allegations are also that on August 14, the unlicenced teen had in his possession a .25 pistol. Thomas was accused too of escaping from the Lethem Police Station where he was being held for the alleged firearm offence the following day.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Michael Grant explained that the teen and his mother had an argument and he pointed the gun at her. The woman became fearful for her life and reported his alleged threatening behaviour to the police who later arrested him.
Grant claimed that Thomas led the police to his house and showed them where the firearm was located. He said that he later escaped from police custody.
The teen was represented by Attorney at Law Jerome Khan who said that the incident occurred because the teenager’s mother supported his girlfriend instead of him with regards to a misunderstanding between the couple. The court was further told that his mother complained to the Toshao (Village Chief) and asked him to speak to her son.
The lawyer explained that while the accused was at the station, the police had received information that his uncle had a gun. They asked him to help them find his uncle and he lead them to his uncle’s house where the weapon was found in a music box.
Khan emphasised that there was no ammunition in the gun.
The defence attorney said that after his client was held in excess of 72 hours in the lockups, he was sitting on a bench while the police were mulling whether to grant him station bail or charge him or his uncle for the alleged illegal possession of a firearm.
The lawyer, however, said that the boy calmly left the station and went to his mother’s home for a shower. Police, he said, went there and arrested his client for “escaping.”
Khan said that the teen is a first-time offender and requested reasonable bail for Thomas and highlighted that the three charges are bailable offences.
The Prosecutor, however, objected stating that a gun with no ammunition is still a gun. Grant emphasised that the teen threatened to kill his mother.
Despite his objections, the city Magistrate granted the teen $10,000 bail on the Threatening Behaviour charge, $50,000 on that of Escaping from Lawful Custody and $150,000 for Possession of a Firearm without being the holder of a Firearm Licence.
The teen is expected to appear before the Chief Magistrate on September 8.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Are we better off today than we were before first oil?
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News-If you had asked me ten years ago what I wanted for Guyana, I would have said a few things:... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
