Blind bandit granted bail for armed robberies

Dec 02, 2015 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Nigel Ellis, one of the men accused of robbing and terrorizing several persons at a Mahaicony Supermarket, has been granted bail to the tune of $600,000 by the High Court.

Charged: Nigel Ellis

Ellis was recently discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). He is now permanently blind in both eyes after being shot by a vigilante.
Attorney Adrian Thompson presented a bail application for the accused two weeks ago.
Ellis of Lot 34 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown has been charged with four counts of armed robbery after he appeared in the Mahaicony Magistrate’s Courts on November 18.
He is accused of robbing four persons – Jasoda Singh, Narine Singh, businesswoman Lakeranie Singh and Natasha Bobb – at gunpoint on November 4, at LaRaisonable, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara.
The court heard that the defendant allegedly robbed Lakeranie Singh of one Toyota IST, $300,000 cash, a quantity of gold and artificial jewellery, a quantity of phone cards, among other items all totaling $4,367,300. He was also accused of robbing Narine of a Samsung phone, US$300, a wallet and $9,000 cash – total value of $184,000.
It was further alleged that he robbed Natasha Bobb of two gold rings, $80 cash and a Nokia cell phone. And finally he allegedly robbed Jasoda Singh of a BLU phone, a bag and $3000 cash – a total of $19,000.
Additionally, Ellis was charged for illegal firearm and ammunition possession.
Ellis will return to court on January 6, 2016.
Kaieteur News caught up with Ellis yesterday at the hospital. He has denied having any involvement in the robberies. “I still don’t understand the story. How me alone do all these robberies?” He explained that on the date in question, he left his home to follow “a lil girlfriend home in Mahaicony”. The man related that while he was awaiting transportation to head to the city some people started to holler, “watch one deh deh”.
Ellis continued, “they open fire on me and I drop on the ground and start holler for my eyes. They carry me at the hospital the same day and then bring me down to town.”

Murder Accused: Stafarei Alexander

It was reported that around 14:00hrs, on November 4, Ellis was among a group of men that entered the supermarket and held Lakeranie Singh and her employees at gunpoint. They reportedly beat the businesswoman about her body and escaped with cash, jewellery and other valuables.
According to reports, the bandits appeared to be well informed about the supermarket, since they escaped with a DVR, which recorded footage from surveillance located at strategic points on the premises. The men reportedly escaped in Singh’s Toyota IST, with the police hot in pursuit.
Another man, Stafarei Alexander, 33, of Laing Avenue West Ruimveldt was also slapped with the said charges after he appeared before the Chief Magistrate, last month. However, he was remanded to prison and is currently facing a murder charge. He is accused of murdering Linden businesswoman, Shevon Gordon on April 4.
Three other men have also been charged with the woman’s murder.