Three men who allegedly robbed a 42-year-old businessman of over G$3 million as well as $7,270 in Surinamese currency, were today slapped with a simple larceny charge.
Quacy Funt-a-fat, 40, of Annandale, East Coast Demerara (ECD), Afzal Khan, 58, of Chateau Margot, ECD; and Jason Staunton, 32, of Samatta Point, East Bank Demerara (EBD), appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh in the Whim Magistrate’s Court.
The trio pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on November 20, 2020, at Number 66 Village, Corentyne Berbice, they robbed Deonarine Harripersaud, called “Chona.”
Reports are that Harripersaud who is a businessman and a boat owner, visited two commercial banks in Corentyne, Berbice, earlier in the day and withdrew the money, after which he made several payments to workers in the Corentyne area.
He left the cash in a haversack in the front seat of his vehicle and made his way into the Number 66 Fishing Complex to drop off a tool for his workers who were fixing his boat.
The businessman said that upon his return to the vehicle, he noticed that the haversack was missing, and further checks found that the lock on the passenger side door was tampered with.
He was then reliably informed that a white Toyota Allion car stopped next to his vehicle, and someone went into the car and took out his haversack. As a result, he made a report to the Number 51 Police Station.
Police said that based on intelligence received, ranks went to Liverpool Village, Corentyne, Berbice, and stopped a white Toyota Allion, which was proceeding west on the said public road.
They occupants were informed of suspicion, arrested, and escorted to the Whim Police Station, where a search was conducted on their persons and the said motor car. On the front passenger seat, police found a grey haversack that contained a quantity of Guyana and Suriname dollars and recovered Harripersaud’s passport and bank books.
After listening to the prosecution’s case, Magistrate Singh granted the suspects bail in the sum of $250,000 each with conditions that they lodge their passport and report to the Brickdam Police Station every Friday.
The case was then postponed until December 23, 2020, and transferred to the No. 51 Magistrate’s Court.
