Alleged serial bandit remanded for shooting at cops

Sep 02, 2016 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Shemroy Hackett, who lawmen describe as a serial bandit, was yesterday remanded to prison for allegedly shooting at two policemen and for a series of robberies allegedly committed between July and last month, on the East

Alleged serial bandit Shemroy Hackett being escorted by a police officer.

Coast of Demerara.
Hackett, 27, of 134 Bare Root, East Coast Demerara, appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul in the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court after he reportedly confessed to being a member of a gang. This newspaper was also told that Hackett was positively identified during several identification parades conducted on Wednesday.
The unrepresented man was charged with six counts of robbery under-arms, two counts of discharging a loaded firearm with intent, and one count each of possession of arms and ammunition.
Hackett was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that he discharged a loaded firearm at Police Lance Corporal Hilton Benjamin and Constable Marvin Richards, with intent to maim, disable, disfigure or cause them grievous bodily. The peace officers were at the time acting in consort on their duties at Bachelors Adventure, East Coast Demerara on August 29.
It is alleged that on the same day, at Enmore, East Coast Demerara, while armed with a shotgun, Hackett robbed Hamid Ramlagan of $3,000,000, a .32 Taurus pistol, 15 rounds of .32 ammunition, a quantity of gold jewellery and a DVR system – all totaling $5, 383,000 – property of Maimoon Ramlagan.
According to reports, at around 17:00hrs on the day in question, five armed men stormed an Enmore grocery store and after grabbing an undisclosed amount of cash and other valuables, escaped from the scene by hijacking a Toyota Raum motor car.
The police were informed and roadblocks were immediately set up which resulted in a shootout between the police and bandits. The shootout reportedly started in Enmore and ended at Bare Root and resulted in the arrest of one of the bandits.
It is also alleged that on July 1, while in the company of others and armed with a shotgun, Hackett robbed Xie-Thi-Fang of an iPhone 6, a quantity of Digicel phone cards and $120,000-all totaling $380,000. Further, it is alleged that on July 7, Hackett robbed Chen-Bi-Fen of items valuing $180,000 at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara.
Hackett is accused of robbing Elizabeth Lindy at gunpoint of her cell phone and $360,000 property of Cho-Fei. He is also accused of robbing Kizzian Windsor of a cell phone valued $50,000 and Sherman Persaud of a mobile phone worth $29,000.
Also, Hackett was charged with one count of possession of an illegal 9mm pistol and one count of being in possession of twelve matching rounds of ammunition, when he was not the holder of a firearm licence. To these two charges, he pleaded not guilty.
Police Prosecutor, Sherlock King opposed bail for Hackett on the ground that some of the offences were committed since July. He said that there is a likelihood if Hackett is released on bail he would commit other offences.
According to the prosecutor, investigations into the matters are still ongoing.
Magistrate Ally-Seepaul transferred some of the matter to courts in their respective jurisdictions. Some of the matters were transferred to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court for October 13 and the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court for October 19.
The cases fixed for the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court were adjourned until September 30.