Latest update April 17th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 24, 2018 News
One week after three burglars were charged and remanded to prison for breaking into the jewellery store of L. Seepersaud Maraj and Sons, and carting off $22M in gold and diamond jewellery, they were yesterday further remanded to prison.
Yesterday, when the matter was called in Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan’s courtroom, Police Prosecutor, Neville Jeffers told the court that investigation into the matter is completed.
The prosecutor also handed over statements in the matter to the defendants.
The defendants’ lawyers then made applications for bail to be granted to their clients but those applications were denied by the Chief Magistrate. The Magistrate said that she is of the opinion that if bail is granted to the defendants, they would not return to court for the trial, hence she further remanded them to prison.
The men charged are Clifford Rodney, 66, of 265 One Mile Wismar, Linden; Albert De Freitas, 55, of 100 Leopold Street, Werk-en-rust and Trayon Parks, 31 of 107 Eccles, East Bank Demerara.
It is alleged that between July 2 and July 3, last at Stabroek Market, they broke and entered the jewellery store of L. Seepersaud Maraj and stole a quantity of gold and diamond jewellery valued $22M. The suspects allegedly gained entry to the market via a hole in the grillwork near to the L. Seepersaud Maraj store. On the men’s first court appearance, the lawyers representing the defendants told the court that their clients were beaten repeatedly to confess to the burglary.
The lawyers said they were instructed by their clients that officers placed black plastic bags over the heads of their clients and subjected them to electric shocks.
The court further heard that the defendants were repeatedly struck on the testicles. However, Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers had asked that the defendants be remanded, citing the serious nature of the offence and the value of the stolen articles.
The court heard that all three men have matters of similar nature in the courts and if bail is granted that they would not return.
The Prosecutor also stated that the defendants admitted in a recorded interview to cutting open the safe and removing the articles.
Prosecutor Jeffers went on to tell the court that CCTV footage showed the three men entering the Sleep Inn Hotel. He stated that it was there that they divided the jewellery. According to reports, there were no sign of forced entry or exit of the Stabroek Market, which caused persons to speculate that the defendants hid in their stalls until the market was close.
The jewellery stall has been in the Stabroek Market for over six decades
The men were instructed to make their next court appearance on August 9 before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore who will be conducting the trial.
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