“ I stole the bag because I was influence by my friend. Please pardon me because I saw my friend died in front of me”, were the words of a man who pleaded guilty to robbing a woman.
Twenty-year-old Shaquille Mentore of Kitty, Georgetown, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Mentore pleaded guilty with explanation to the charge which stated that on February 18,2020 at Duncan Street, Georgetown, he stole a bag containing articles valued at $49,240, property of Louisiana Campbell.
Mentore, in his explanation to the court stated,” I was shot in my feet by Lennox Cush after me and my friend ran through his yard. After people started pelting us with bricks and stones my friend hide in a drum and I jump over the fence. Lennox Cush went and shoot up the drum with my friend inside. After seeing that I surrender and Lennox Cush still shoot me in both feet.”
However, facts presented by Police Prosecutor Matthews stated that on the day in question the victim was walking along Duncan Street when she was confronted by Mentore and another individual. The court heard Mentore took away the woman’s bag containing articles and attempted to escape. However, an alarm was raised and public spirited persons gave chase and the men ran into the yard of a former cricketer where they were shot. The injured men were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where one died and the other was admitted for gun shot injuries to both legs.
Mentore was later discharged from the institution and charged for the offence.
Mentore who is no stranger to the courts was sentenced to 15 months behind bars last year by Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus after he admitted to stealing a phone because he needed money to buy a bicycle.
He had admitted to a charge that he stole the phone, valued $140,000, from Nicholas Gangaram, on January 17th, at Croal Street, Georgetown.
The Magistrate, after listening to both sides, fined Mentore $70,000 or in default eight weeks behind bars. He was also placed under the supervision of the probation officer for 12 months.
On February 18, 22-year-old Randy Bowen, who was recently released from prison was shot along with Mentore by a licenced firearm holder when they grabbed a woman’s handbag. The businessman chased the robbers into a yard on William Street where they were subsequently shot.
In March 2018, the deceased was charged with two counts of robbery with aggravation after he robbed two persons of their properties at Irving Street, Georgetown.
In July 2018, last, Bowen was jailed after he attempted to rob a policeman on Regent Street, Georgetown. He was only recently released from prison.
