Trio found with illegal guns, ammo in car granted bail

Nov 30, 2018 News

Days after three men were arrested after allegedly trailing a businesswoman from the Ogle Airport and robbing her of a package before shooting at her vehicle, three men were yesterday arranged before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
Casey Chapman, 27, a taxi driver, of 77 South Sophia; Sheldon Andrews, 24, also a taxi driver, of 306 West Ruimveldt and Adam McDonald, 30, block maker of Amelia’s Ward Linden, all appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer a series of firearm, ammunition and armed robbery offences.
The first allegation against the three men stated that on November 26, last at High and Princes Streets, while being in the company of each other, they had in their possession one .32 Taurus pistol without being holders of firearm licenses.

From front to back charge Adam McDonald, Sheldon Andrews and Casey Chapman

The second charge stated that on the same day and at the same location, the men had in their possession one 9 mm Glock pistol without being holders of firearm licenses.
It was further alleged that on the same day and at the same location they had in their possession 12 live rounds of 9 mm ammunition without being holders of firearm licenses.
The last charge against the trio stated that on the same day and at the same location, they had in their possession seven .32 ammunition when they were not licensed firearm holders.
It was further alleged that Chapman on July 5,2017, at Grove, Access Road, East Bank Demerara, while being in the company of another and armed with a gun, he robbed Marcia Maria Martin of a cellular phone worth $70,000, four ounce raw gold worth $600,000, some $700,000 cash and other articles totalling $1.4 M, property of Martin.
The men all denied the allegations after they were read to them by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
Chapman was represented by Attorney-at-law Dave DaSilva who in a bail application for his client told the court that on the day in question; his client was merely the driver of the intercepted car and at the time was transporting passengers.
The lawyer went on to tell the court that the vehicle in which his client was driving was intercepted by a party of police officers and the suspected guns and ammunitions were found under a seat.
Attorney-at-Law Paul Fung-a-fat in a bail application for Andrews told the court that his client was outside the vehicle speaking to the driver. Fung-at-fat added that a search was conducted on his client and nothing was found in his possession.
An unrepresented McDonald in addressing the court pleaded with the Magistrate to grant him bail citing that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
McDonald stated that he was in Georgetown visiting a sick relative when he got a call from his cousin requesting to meet him at High and Princes Streets. McDonald added that when he got to the location, a party of policemen approach him from behind and lifted him 60 feet from where he was and placed him next to a vehicle. At the vehicle he said he was told to lie next to Chapman and Andrews.
However, Police Prosecutor Simone Payne objected to bail being granted to the defendants citing the serious nature of the offence and the fact that weapons and ammunition were discovered in the vehicle.
The Prosecutor stated that on November 26, last, police acting on information went to High and Princes Streets, where they were on the look out for the suspected bandits.
The Prosecutor added that shortly after the police arrival at the location, they saw the defendants sitting in a vehicle acting suspiciously.
The court heard that the officers approached the vehicle where they identified themselves. A search was carried out on the men and the vehicle and the articles listed in the charge were discovered under the driver seat.
The trio were then arrested and taken into custody, hence charge for the offences.
In relation to the robbery matter involving Chapman, the Prosecutor told the court that an identification parade was held last Wednesday and Chapman was positively identified by the victim.
The Chief Magistrate after listening to both sides granted the trio bail in the sum of $200,000 each.
However, she remanded Chapman to prison on the robbery under arms charge.
A condition of the bail is that the men report every Friday at the Ruimveldt Police Station until the hearing and determination of the trial.
They were instructed to make their next court appearance on December 12, 2018.