27-year-old Jason Gonsalves, of Lot 59 D’Urban Street, Lodge, Georgetown, was brought before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he was remanded after answering to illegal possession of firearm and ammunition charges.
It is alleged that on June 20, at Camp and Regent Streets, Georgetown, he had in his possession a Taurus judge revolver while not being the holder of a firearm license enforced at the time. It is also alleged that he had five live rounds of 410 ammunition in his possession while not being the holder of a firearm license enforced at the time.
The father of one pleaded not guilty to both charges. He was represented by attorney-at-law Siand Dhurjon who told the court that his client is innocent. According to Dhurjon, Gonsalves was at home with his fiancé who is pregnant. He said that following the reports of this incident, his client made contact with him because the man’s association with another person who was arrested was brought up in the media and this led him to turn himself in to clear his name.
Counsel told the court that he is applying for bail for his client because the man has an alibi, the video footage has no proof of Gonsalves being the perpetrator and while his client has another matter of similar nature before the court, he has been attending court for his other charge. Gonsalves’ passport is already lodged with the court.
Meanwhile, the Court Prosecutor objected to bail. The facts provided to the court is that the police were acting on information when they went to the location by Burger King and saw the two suspects acting suspiciously. He said that the police approached and the two men made a gesture to grab something from their pants and this led the police to react by drawing their guns. The court heard that after the police viewed the footage provided by the food place, on the day in question, they saw the man drop the firearm and ammunition into a garbage bin in the food place. The items were retrieved.
Previous reports on the incident are that the two men ran off in different directions after the confrontation with the police. One of the suspects, ran in a western direction on Regent Street and was apprehended at Charlotte Street. While the other suspect ran into the fast food place and escaped before the police returned to arrest him.
The Magistrate remanded Gonsalves, however, he asked that the court considers his family’s circumstances as reason to grant bail. He said that his fiancé is pregnant and he is the breadwinner of the home where he also has a young child. This did not sway the Magistrate’s decision and the matter was adjourned until July 12.
Gonsalves was charged along with Shaquille Grant and Teon Allen in December, 2019. They were before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty for charges in relation to a shootout at Houston, Georgetown between the police and themselves.
