Latest update May 25th, 2026 12:35 AM
Sophia man tells Court he found illegal gun while cleaning trench
Kaieteur News – A 27-year-old man was on Monday remanded to prison after he was found with an unlicensed gun by police on Thursday in the North Sophia District.
Akeem Bristol at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts
The Uzi semi-automatic machine gun
The accused Ackeem Bristol made his first court appearance on Monday and in his defence told Magistrate Rhondell Weever that “I was working last month by cleaning drain, by (name provided), whilst working, second week, I pick up a bag with the gun inside from the drain.”
According to police, at about 00:40hrs on Thursday, ranks from the Turkeyen Police Station, were on patrol in the North Sophia district, when they observed Bristol riding a bicycle with a cart attached, through a cross street.
Upon seeing the ranks, Bristol reportedly hopped off the cycle and attempted to run, but due to quick response by the ranks, Bristol was apprehended. A search was conducted on Bristol’s person but nothing illegal was found on him. However, when the ranks searched his cart, a black plastic bag containing one Uzi semi-automatic machine with an empty magazine, along with some identification documents, which was in favour of Bristol was found.
The Sophia resident was asked if he is the holder of a firearm licence to which he responded in the negative. Bristol was then told of the offence, cautioned and arrested.
The cart attached to the bicycle, where the gun was found
After his arrest, the man told police he found the gun in a trench on Sophia Road.
He was charged for possession of an unlicensed firearm. He pleaded guilty with an explanation. In his explanation, Bristol said that he was working with ‘Juan Bacchus’ for about a month as a sanitation worker. He said that it was during his second week that he found the gun while cleaning a trench on Sophia Road.
Bristol told the court that when he picked it up and washed off the dirty water from the said gun, he went to the police station to make a report. However, upon arrival, only one female officer was there, and according to him, the officer said she cannot take the report because she is the only one there.
Notwithstanding his recount of the events leading to his possession of the illegal firearm, the prosecution told the court that when Bristol, during a video interview, after his arrest told ranks that he intended to sell the gun.
The Magistrate then requested the audio from the video interview to which the prosecution said they did not have. Magistrate Weaver informed the prosecution that in order for Bristol to be sentenced, the audio is needed.
Bristol is scheduled to return to court on December 18, 2023.
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