TWENTY-YEAR-OLD Wendell Austin of Lot 134 Canterbury Walk Beterverwagting, East Coast of Demerara was yesterday remanded by Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on a robbery offence.The accusation against Austin is that on Saturday, January 4, at Longden Street, Georgetown, being in company of others and armed with a knife, he robbed Kishan Persaud of one Toshiba laptop computer, one Blackberry Gold cellular phone, one silver band and ring, and $15,000 in cash, together valued $216,000.
Austin pleaded not guilty to the offence, but Police Corporal Bharat Mangru, prosecuting, told the court that on the day in question, at around 00:30 hrs, Persaud was proceeding along Longden Street heading to the Timehri Minibus Park when the defendant, in company of another male, placed a knife to his neck and relieved him of the articles mentioned in the charge. The matter was reported and the defendant was positively identified by the virtual complainant in an ID parade.
The Chief Magistrate asked Austin if he had any pending matter or prior conviction, and he said he had pending an assault matter in another court.
The prosecutor successfully opposed bail, citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offence, and the case was postponed to January 24.