Two committed to stand trial for shooting schoolboy

Feb 05, 2017 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

…another still at large

Two men who were on trial in the Blairmont Magistrate Court on a charge of attempted murder have been committed to stand trial in the next session of the Berbice High Court.
The men, Bharat Madray, 27, of Shieldstown, West Coast Berbice; and Joel Grannum, 27, of Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen, West Demerara and Edinburgh, East Bank Berbice; are accused of attempting to murder schoolboy Bramdat Singh, called “Ronald”, 17, of Lot 5D Bush Lot Public Road, West Coast Berbice.
He was shot and injured during a robbery. The incident is said to have occurred on March 2, 2015.
They were committed to stand trial at the completion of a preliminary inquiry which was conducted by Magistrate Rhondell Weaver.
According to Prosecutor Corporal Rochelle Mars, the duo are accused of – on the day in question at Rosignol, West Bank Berbice whilst in company with others and armed with guns – robbing Bramdat Singh of 1000 pennyweight of gold valued at $7.4M and $500,000 in cash.
The incident occurred around 6:30hrs, just as goldsmith, Bramdat Singh Snr, called “Rajesh”, was in the process of setting up his stand at the Rosignol Market, West Bank Berbice.
Madray was captured when he tried to hide the motorcycle used during the robbery.
The younger Singh who was expected to write his CSEC examination in a month’s time was shot through his mouth. He was picked up by his father and rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital before being transferred to the New Amsterdam hospital.
The two Singhs had journeyed to their stall to conduct business for the day. The younger Singh was outside of the stand when the two bandits who were armed with handguns struck and demanded the bag with their jewellery.
After the elder Singh resisted, one of the bandits shot his son though the jaw. The man then released the bag. The bandits made good their escape with the bag which contained close to 1000 penny weights of gold.
At the time of the shooting, the teen was a fifth form student at the Fraser Educational Institute at Fort Wellington.
The police recovered three spent shells and one live .32 round. Madray was represented by attorney at law Tanya Warren Clements and ten witnesses including eight policemen, testified at the preliminary. The accused have been granted bail in the sum of 250,000 each.