A 25-year-old plumber from McDoom, East Bank Demerara, was on Wednesday granted bail after appearing before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on a charge of robbery under arms.
The accused, Orion Edghill, pleaded not guilty to the allegation that on Sunday, August 10, at Longden Street, Georgetown, while armed with a knife, he robbed Reatesh Singh of a black haversack valued at $5000, a black cell phone worth $24,000, and $1800 in cash.
The prosecution objected to bail, citing both the seriousness and prevalence of such offences.
In his defence, Edghill gave the court his version of events, stating that on the day in question, he had gone to the Kitty Seawall, where he was imbibing excessive alcohol to the point of falling asleep. He said he later awoke to find himself being approached by a police officer known to him as “Eastman”.
“I woke up, and I washed my face with a bottle of water, and then I saw Eastman come up to me, and they searched me,” Edghill told the court.
He said that at the time, he had in his possession only a small pair of scissors, which the police took away from him.
When Magistrate Azore asked why he was carrying the scissors, he responded, “Ma’am, I will be very honest; I do burn my little weed.”
The defendant claimed he was then taken into custody, transferred between several police stations, and accused of committing a robbery, an allegation he firmly denied. “I was never charged or brought before the court for any criminal activities,” he said, adding that he was innocent of the offence before the court.
His father, given the opportunity to address the court, described him as “a good guy” who is currently learning a trade to better himself. He also told the court that the family had not been informed of the arrest and only learnt of the situation that day, prompting his appearance in court.
When asked by Magistrate Azore if he would return to court if granted bail, Edghill assured, “I will return because I’m not guilty of any crime.”
Magistrate Azore granted bail in the sum of $35,000 and adjourned the matter to September 24.