Taxi-driver remanded on gun charge

Jan 26, 2020 News

A 25-year-old taxi-driver was on Friday arraigned before Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after he was allegedly caught by the police with a gun in his car.

Remanded: Terrence Primo

The defendant, Terrence Primo of 14th Avenue, Diamond, East Bank Demerara, pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on January 20, 2020, at Leopold Street, Georgetown he had in his possession one .38 revolver when he was not a licensed firearm holder.
Primo said, “The firearm was in my vehicle so I pleading guilty to it.”
Magistrate Marcus asked the defendant if he knew the gun was in the vehicle. Primo responded, “At that time I didn’t know it was there…and it does not belong to me either.”
A not guilty plea was then entered by Magistrate Marcus, based on what the defendant said to the court.
However, police prosecutor Adunni Inniss made objections to bail being granted to the defendant based on the seriousness and penalty of the offence.
The prosecutor highlighted that the gun was found under the driver seat of the motor vehicle, on the day in question about 13:50hrs.
Primo was in motor vehicle PTT 7817, where it was parked at Smyth and Breda Streets.
Police officers were patrolling the area at that time when they saw the defendant acting in a suspicious manner. The police then approached Primo and asked to conduct a search of his person and the vehicle, a request that he did not object to.
The court heard that nothing was found on the defendant but as soon as he [Primo] got out of the driver seat the firearm was discovered tucked away underneath. According to the police when the firearm was found and the allegation was put to the defendant, Primo told the police, “Ow please for another chance.”
Primo was arrested, taken into custody and later charged for the offence.
After listening to the facts of the charge, Magistrate Marcus remanded the defendant to prison and the matter was adjourned to January 31, 2020.