Trio freed of 2017 attempted armed robbery on Republic Bank

Three men were today freed of the 2017 attempted armed robbery of Republic Bank, Water Street Branch, after a City Magistrate upheld a no-case submission by the defense.
Anfernee Blackman, of Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Gladstone George, of Princes Street, Lodge, Georgetown, both ex-constables and Shawn Grimmond of Pike Street, Kitty, a former Republic Bank employee, were today freed of an attempted robbery charge after Senior Magistrate Leron Daly agreed with the defense attorneys, Leslie Sobers, Roger Yearwood, and Dexter Todd, that the Prosecutor failed to make out a case against the men.

Meanwhile, their co-accused, Keron Saunders, is expected to lead his defense on July 8 after the Magistrate indicated that the Prosecution has provided evidence that could have him committed for trial.

The men were first charged in July of 2017 when former Republic Bank employee, Jamal Haynes, 28, of Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six years in jail by Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan. Haynes who also faced five other charges for firearm and ammunition possession, discharging a loaded firearm, holding a bank employee hostage, and robbery, had pleaded guilty to the charges of firearm and ammunition possession, for which he received a total of four years and a fine $180,000, and holding a bank employee hostage, for which he was fined $100,000, with an alternative of six months in jail. Saunders also separately faced charges of firearm and ammunition possession.

It was reported that on July 4, 2017, the men planned to rob the bank of the deposits left overnight since it was a three-day weekend and companies had reportedly made deposits of millions of dollars in cash. They reportedly entered the bank before it was open to the public. However, the members of the Professional Guard Service (PGS), which guards the bank, took up positions and engaged the gunmen, who seemed to have panicked and held two employees, hostage, during the robbery. Neither was injured, but an agronomist, Elton Wray, was fatally shot, while his accomplices were captured after their ill-fated bid to rob the bank.