“I can’t even walk properly, much less run. Why would I rob people in my own neighbourhood?” a Lodge man questioned when he appeared today in court on four armed robbery charges.
Thirty-one-year-old Cheddie Bacchus of 28 Norton Street, Lodge appeared before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and pleaded not guilty to all of his charges.
The first charge against him stated that on May 12, 2019, at Cemetery Road, Georgetown, while being in the company of another, he robbed Basil Agar of one gold chain valued at $150,000 and a phone valued at $10,000.
It was further alleged that on the same day and at the same location as the previous charge, while being in the company of another and armed with a gun, he robbed Annette Ferguson of a motorcycle valued at $275,000, a phone valued at $10,000, and $3,000 in cash.
The third charge stated that on June 20, 2019, at Princes Street, Georgetown, while being in the company of another and armed with a gun, he robbed Onika Hinds of a gold chain valued at $46,000.
The last charge stated that on the same day and at the same location as the previous charge, he robbed Ashanti Wilson of a phone valued at $46,000, a gold chain valued at $120,000, and a watch valued at $15,000.
Police Prosecutor Seon Blackman objected to bail being granted to Bacchus, saying that when the defendant was arrested he admitted in a caution statement to robbing the victims and selling their articles.
The prosecutor also based his objections on the grounds of the serious nature of the allegations, the penalty the charges attract, and the fact that a gun was used to commit the offences.
A visibly upset Bacchus in addressing the court stated, “Is one particular officer keep locking me up. Look at my foot; it ain’t good, I can’t even walk properly much less run. Why would I rob people in my own neighbourhood?”
The magistrate, after listening to both sides, remanded Bacchus to prison until July 3.
