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16 years each for Land Court Judge robbers
– convicts beg for mercy, maintain innocence
By Feona Morrison
Family members wept uncontrollably after they were informed that the three men convicted for robbing Land Court Judge Nicola Pierre will each spend the next 16 years in jail.
This was the term passed on them by Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul yesterday in the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, which is being housed in the Better Hope Community Centre.
Nicholas Narine, 18; Damien Millington, 22; and Warren McKenzie, 22; all of Agricola, East Bank Demerara, left the Land Court judge with a broken jaw and her husband Mohamed Chand one eye less, after they stormed the couple’s home located in the gated community of Felicity, East Bank Demerara on July 9, 2o15 and robbed them.
Pierre and Chand were gun-butted into unconsciousness after the men, gained entry to their home via a window. The robbers carted off a small safe containing US$7,000, gold and diamond jewellery, high-end cell phones, gem stones, brand name watches and sunglasses among other valuables.
The men were each found guilty on two counts of robbery under-arms committed on the Land Court judge and her husband, and were sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on each count. They were also found guilty on two counts of felonious wounding committed on the Land Court judge and her husband and were also sentenced to four years’ imprisonment on each count.
After the prison terms were handed down, the convicts’ relatives shouted “what?” Then the Magistrate explained that the men will serve 16 years for the crimes since the jail terms will run consecutively.
Immediately the relatives of the robbers ran out of the courtroom and began shouting and hitting the walls of the courthouse.
Narine, Millington and McKenzie bowed their heads and were in tears as they were being escorted by police officers to the prisoners’ holding cell located at the lower flat of the court.
Loud screams and stomping were heard coming from the convicts as they were waiting to be taken to the Camp Street Prison.
“The Magistrate tek pay off…dem police too. I see when them was collecting money for this case. Some dutty wuk do here,” one relative exhaled.
Another individual said, “She (the Magistrate) cruel…16 years for something they didn’t do. That judge wicked; she got a son. How she (the Magistrate) free the taxi driver and the other man and jail these? This is victimization.”
Before passing sentence, the Magistrate took into consideration the time the men had spent on remand awaiting trial and the fact that they had no previous convictions, as indicated by Prosecutor Nigel Hughes.
Magistrate Ally-Seepaul said that the crimes were committed with a high level of brutality.
She told the court, “I have noted that the injuries suffered by the victims in this matter were of a very serious nature. The medical certificates showed that the injuries were life-threatening for both of them. While the men were attacking the victims they showed little or no consideration for whether the victims would survive or not.”
The Magistrate underscored that Narine, Millington and McKenzie were all charged as accessory to each of the offences, and she found them equally culpable of the crimes.
However, Narine, Millington and McKenzie in a plea of mitigation maintained their innocence. They said that they played no part in the crimes. They pleaded with the Magistrate for leniency in her decision.
The Land Court judge and her husband were at home with their 11-year-old son located at Montrose, East Coast Demerara on July 9, 2015.
The family had retired to bed when a group of men invaded their home and attacked and robbed the couple.
During the incident Pierre and her husband were able to see their attackers, since the men wore no masks. The intruders threatened them and demanded money and other valuables. At the time of the robbery, the lights were on in the couple’s home, in particular the room in which the couple was attacked.
Narine, Millington and McKenzie disarmed a female security guard before storming the home.
The convicts left the home and shot at a security guard in their bid to escape.
Police were called in to investigate and the three men were arrested and charged.
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