Latest update December 22nd, 2024 12:51 AM
Businessman remanded on illegal gun, ammo charges
A 40-year-old businessman held for an illegal gun and matching ammunition found in his house during a police search, has been remanded to prison.
Police made the find in the wee hours of the yesterday morning, and it was hours after that Rabindra Rampersaud was brought to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to respond to two counts of unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition.
According to the Police, Rampersaud, an unlicenced firearm holder, was busted with a .38 Taurus Pistol and 33 matching rounds of live ammunition at his Block ‘Z,’ Schoonord, West Bank Demerara residence yesterday.
Appearing before the Chief Magistrate, Rampersaud pleaded not guilty to the charges and submitted an application for bail through his attorney, Ronald Burch-Smith.
Rabindra Rampersaud
Police Prosecutor, Corporal Bharat Mangru said that acting on a tip-off, a party of police ranks went to Rampersaud’s house and conducted a search in the presence of the businessman and his wife. He explained that the gun and rounds of ammunition were found in a closet.
The court heard that when the couple was shown the items, the wife denied possession of it, while Rampersaud confessed that it belonged to him. The businessman was taken into custody and charged.
According to the Prosecutor, the businessman claims that he had applied twice for a gun licence over the past ten years but had been refused, so he bought the illegal weapon.
The Corporal objected to the businessman being allowed his pre-trial liberty, citing the serious nature and prevalence of the offence. He argued too that no special reasons had been raised for bail.
In his bid for bail, Burch-Smith said his client, a father of two, is well known in the West Demerara area and owns several stalls at the Bourda Market. Rampersaud, he said, had never been arrested or charged prior to this incident.
He said Rampersaud is going through a divorce and has been threatened by his wife on several occasions. Burch-Smith said his client has been living in fear of something like this happening for some time.
The lawyer contended that the businessman is not a flight risk and added that society has no reason to fear him.
Notwithstanding his application, bail was refused and the case was transferred to the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrates’ Court. Rampersaud is slated to appear there next Monday, January 19.
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