Attempted murder accused freed on armed robbery charges

Jun 08, 2018 News

An attempted murder accused who was recently committed to stand trial in the High Court for unlawfully and maliciously wounding an on-duty security guard, yesterday, got two robbery under-arms matters dismissed against him.
Kevin France, 28, of East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown, was on trial in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly.
It is alleged that on October 28, 2016 at Water Street, Georgetown, France unlawfully and maliciously wounded Quacy Joseph, with intent to murder him.
According to reports, Joseph was an on-duty security guard at Fogarty’s building, Water Street, Georgetown, when he was shot by a fleeing bandit after a robbery within the Electronic City store.
At the conclusion of the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) before City Magistrate, Daly, she ruled that there was sufficient evidence against him for him to stand trial before a judge and jury. France will go trial at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Assizes.
Yesterday, the same Magistrate dismissed two robbery matters against the attempted murder accused.
It is alleged that on October 12, 2016 at Church Street, Georgetown, while being in company of others and armed with a gun, he robbed Bibi Jahbar of $6,000 cash.
Further, France is accused of robbing Roopnarine Budhoo of $800,000 while he was armed with a gun and in the company of others on October 1, 2016, at Robb and Alexander Streets, Georgetown.
The Magistrate told the court that while Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh was able to prove certain aspects of the case, some essential elements were lacking.
She added that the virtual complainants in the matters were unable to identify France as the person who robbed them since no identification parade or confrontation was held.
Hence the Magistrate found that there was insufficient evidence against him and dismissed the matters.
France’s lawyer had also contended that his client was never placed on an identification parade nor did he provide detectives with a confession statement.
In August 2015, France had a murder charge discharged against him in the Magistrates’ Court by Magistrate Judy Latchman.
He was at the time accused of killing Bharrat Ramcharran, a salesman attached to Patsan Trading Services.
According to reports, bandits on a CG motorcycle gunned down 57-year-old Ramcharran outside the business place, before escaping with a bag of money, on April 24, 2014.
Ramcharran of Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, was shot in the back after he threw a bag of money over the gate of the John Smith Street, Campbellville premises to prevent the bandits from making off with the cash.
The salesman was later rushed to Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Randolph Marques, 20, was however, committed to stand trial at the High Court for this same murder.

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