Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delplesche, on Monday, made a forceful submission to the Kingstown Magistrate Court asking that bail be denied to three teenagers accused of armed robbery in the Calliaqua Police District.
The district includes Diamond, Arnos Vale, Brighton, and Villa and Delplesche said police have seen what they describe as “a very serious and scary upsurge” in robberies there.
He was at the time making a submission after the arraignment of Shamol Williams, 16, and Jovanny Stephens, 17, of Diamond.
The duo was charged that on July 26, at Diamond, being armed with a gun, they robbed Jeff Morgan, of Diamond, of a white HP laptop, value EC$3,000, a Samsung Galaxy Plus Cellular phone, value EC$1,000 and EC$500 in cash, Morgan’s property and at the time of so doing and in order to do so, put Morgan in fear of being then and there subjected to force.
They were further charged that on July 26, at Diamond, they entered Morgan’s home as trespassers and had with them a weapon of offence, to wit a gun.
The charges were laid indictably and the men were not required to plead.
Delplesche told the court that as it relates to the robberies and aggravated burglary, the prosecution was objecting to bail.
He said detectives say that the accused men are of interest in other investigations.
Delplesche said there are exhibits that investigators were trying to recover, including the firearm allegedly used in the commission of the offences.
He said investigators have informed the prosecution that they have an indication of where they can find the items but are saying that if the men are granted bail at this juncture, the possibility is very real of them hindering the investigation.
“They are asking for an opportunity to dig a little deeper and to try to recover these items, which include the firearm,” Delplesche said.
Delplesche said he has informed investigators that the court cannot detain the men ad infinitum and that the investigation must proceed apace so that the matter can be ventilated.
“But, for the moment, your honour, we are asking for a little more time,” he said and asked that the matters be adjourned and transferred to the Serious Offences Court for hearing on Sept. 3.
In response, counsel Samantha Robertson, who represented Stephens said that given the information that the prosecutor had related to the court, she would not put up a resistance if the men were remanded for several days.
Also on Monday, Stephens was charged that between Aug. 8 and 9, 2019, at Prospect, he entered the apartment of Lydia Tiawo of Prospect as a trespasser and stole one black HP bag, value US$17, containing one silver HP laptop, value, US$480 and EC$1,380 in cash.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Further, Michael Richards, 21, of Calliaqua, and Stephens were charged that on Aug. 15, at Prospect, with intent to commit the offence of burglary on the apartment of Lydia Tiawo, of Prospect, they did an act which is more than merely preparatory to the commission of the offence.
They both pleaded not guilty. Prosecutor Corlene Samuel did not object to bail but asked for sufficient surety.
The men were granted EC$2,000 bail and one surety; the matter was adjourned and transferred to the Calliaqua Magistrate’s Court for the following day, Aug. 20.
Richards was further charged that on Aug. 2, 2017, at Diamond, he assaulted Brenton Pope, 38, of Lauders, causing actual bodily harm.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
He was also charged that on Aug. 2, at Diamond, being armed with a gun, he robbed Pope of one red headphone value EC$20 and EC$20 in cash, and at the time of so doing and in order to so do put Pope in fear of being there and then subjected to force.
Richards was not required to plead to the indictable charge.
Delplesche told the court that in relation to Richards, the prosecution was asking for a remand as the investigators try to make some headway into their investigation into the upsurge.
He said that the reasons are the same as it relates to the accused in the other robbery cases.
He said that investigators are trying to recover the firearm that was allegedly used.
Also on Tuesday, Camilius Forbes, of Georgetown, was charged that on July 22, at San Souci, being armed with a bottle, he robbed Kelly Ryan, of Chester Cottage, of one cloth wallet, value US$10, containing US$40 and EC$765 in cash, one brown leather belt, value US$20, one black Motorola cellular phone, value US$320 and EC$145 in cash, Ryan’s property and at the time of so doing and in order to do so put Ryan in fear of being then and then subjected to force, to wit “by striking him with a bottle”.
He was not required to plead to this indictable charge.
Forbes was further charged that on July 22, at San Souci, he did unlawfully and maliciously wound Ryan of Georgetown.
Samuel did not object to bail but asked for a reporting condition, no contact with the virtual complainant and that the matter be transferred to the Serious Offences Court.
Forbes was granted EC$7,000 bail with one surety and was ordered to report to the Georgetown Police Station.
All the indictable charges were adjourned and transferred to the Serious Offences Court for the next hearing on Sept. 3.
These guys have to serve more that 10 years.
SIDING WITH PROSECUTOR – COUNSEL RISKS BEING FIRED
Undeniably true that society needs to be protected from the ‘…armed criminal exploits’ of these young accused, who seemed to show ‘…hell-bent impunity’ in wreaking havoc on the identified communities.
However, when a defence attorney is engaged to represent an accused person, such representation is to seek to have his liberty granted or protected.
This attorney runs the risk of being fired.
It seemed somewhat callous, if not reckless, to ‘…Side with the Prosecution’ and agreed with the to the denial of bail to her client. The attorney may have ill-advisedly agreed to the policing culture of ‘…Lockup First and Investigate After.’
Upon his appointment to the senior position, this news portal had reported that Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnette had called upon the police to change their mindset and admonished investigators/prosecutors that ‘…matters before the Court are for trial’ [IWN].
Not the other way around to allow for police investigation.
It is well known that crime is high in the Calliaqua region. I used to live there and the police are the worst I have seen. All my neighbors had been robbed at least twice and the police never do anything about it. they never even come and investigate the scene of the crime! Of course this is true with most of SVG. They are very lazy. My fist experience with them is from the first time my apartment was robbed. I called and they told me to come and make a report. I went to make a report and, although no one else was waiting it took them over a half hour before they asked me what I was at the station for. After the report they did nothing so I went to the Kingstown Police and it took them over a week to come out and dust for fingerprints! So, after three weeks the SVG Police came to investigate the theft of items worth over a few thousand dollars. In the USA they come in about an hour. The SVG Police in general are a disgrace to law enforcement!
Very sad, but true
Ma’am I’m an ex police Officer there and honestly I feel your pain I know what you’re saying because it is the truth I have never worked an out station because I was tactical member of one of the units but I’ve been on stations and seen the sloppy way these slackers operate and that was a few years now so I can imagine these young lazy children the employed.
Well these guys did not take advantage of the education revolution. It is very frightening.
This is truly sad the your are destroyed because of the lack of knowledge . leaders and government do something please.
Do what they want badly beat up their hands and feet must be destroyed they have their durty minds with in them please
Lantern needs to be put away for a while till he learns some manners at least. One of the rudest young men I have ever met.