A 22-year-old man from Enmore who told the court he decided to rob a man of a phone and $700 because things weren’t going well for him was today sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for the offence.
It is alleged that 22-year-old Ryan Pompey of Enmore, East Coast Demerara and 33-year-old David Williams of ‘C’ Field Sophia, on June 8, 2019 at Regent Street, Georgetown, robbed Pradrindra Chanderpaul of a phone valued at $10,000 along with $50,000 in cash.
Pompey pleaded guilty with explanation while Williams denied the allegation. They both appeared before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Pompey in his explanation stated, “Things wasn’t going well for me so when I saw the man getting robbed I took the opportunity and took his phone and $700 from his bag.”
Williams in addressing the court stated, “I am not guilty, I have no knowledge of the offence and I don’t know Pompey. Today is the first time I’m seeing Pompey and the victim.”
Facts presented by Police Prosecutor Annalisa Brummell stated that on the day in question, at around 9:15 PM, the victim was on Regent Street waiting for a bus when he was approached by Pompey and Williams.
The court heard Pompey choked Chanderpaul while Williams relieved the victim of his phone. Pompey then went into the man’s bag and took the cash.
The defendants then pushed the victim to the ground and attempted to make good their escape. However, an alarm was then raised and they were apprehended by public-spirited persons.
A search was then carried out on them and the phone was found in the crotch of Williams’ pants. Pompey and Williams were then arrested and taken to the Brickdam Police Station, where Pompey admitted to the offence.
The magistrate, after listening to the facts, sentenced Pompey to three years in prison.
She, however, remanded Williams to prison on the grounds of the serious nature of the offence and the penalty the charge attracts. He was instructed to make his next court appearance on June 19, 2019.
