| … RDC Linden RobberyThree of the alleged thieves who according to police torched a safe and carted off $5 million in cash from the Regional Democratic Council office at Linden were each placed on $500,Wholesale NFL Jerseys,000 bail, when they appeared before Magistrate Priya Beharry, yesterday.The men Mervin Blackman, 20, who hails from Critchlow Street, Tucville; Samuel Rodney, of Retrieve, Linden, and Cecil Pollard were not required to plead to the indictable offence of robbery underarms.The police are alleging that the three on February 17 at Republic Avenue,NFL Jerseys From China, Mackenzie, Linden, being armed with a gun, robbed Compton Daly of $5.4million, which was the property of the Region Ten RDC.Blackman was represented by attorney at law Adrian Thompson while Rodney and Pollard were represented by Glen Hanoman.Sergeant Lionel Harvey, in presenting the facts of the case to the court, stated that Rodney and Pollard are both employed with the Region Ten Regional Democratic Council.The lawman added that Rodney is the son of the present Regional Executive Officer of the said region.He said that on the day in question at approximately 02:00hrs, Rodney and Pollard contacted Blackman and gave him certain instructions. The prosecutor further stated that Blackman took six other men and went to the RDC office to rob it.Harvey further disclosed to the court that the men were armed with a gas cutting torch to which they proceeded to cut open one of five safes and stole the cash.It was stated by the prosecutor that during the robbery, the security guard who was on duty was held at gunpoint.Blackman was reportedly given $500,000 of which he took $300,000 and gave it to Rodney and Pollard to be divided equally.A report was later made and based on intense investigations by the police, Blackman was arrested.According to the prosecutor it was Blackman who gave the police certain information which led to the arrest of Rodney and Pollard.The police held a confrontation between the three defendants and based on the outcome, the charge was instituted, Harvey pointed out to the magistrate.Further the prosecutor disclosed that after the incident,NFL Jerseys China, several persons at Linden and Georgetown were arrested.However the other persons were released on station bail, while the three were charged.Harvey sought to make it clear that Blackman was apprehended and he allegedly led a party of policemen to his residence and took them to a “spot” which he (Blackman) claimed, he had buried some of the stolen money. However the police failed to locate the money.The prosecutor objected to bail based on the grounds that investigations were still ongoing and the likelihood of the defendants interfering with the investigation.He further expressed the fear of the defendants fleeing the jurisdiction in an effort to avoid prosecution.However Attorney at Law Glen Hanoman who was representing Rodney and Pollard disagreed with the prosecution grounds for bail denial.Hanoman disclosed to the court that both of his clients were placed on $25,Wholesale Jerseys,000 station bail for the said offence.He opined that if his clients had indeed wanted to abscond they would have already done so, but instead they are staying to vindicate their names.The lawyer explained that his clients were contacted by the police who in turn informed them that they were needed at the Mackenzie Police Station on Mash Day. The two, according to the lawyer, went to the station,Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys, another indication that they have no intention to run.Hanoman said that the police have no “solid” evidence that can convict his client for the “alleged crime”.He said that the arrest of the three defendants was solely based on a statement that they received from someone who was severely beaten by the police.According to the lawyer the police just “want to crack the case”, even if it means holding the wrong people. He also opined that the case is heavily politicized.“The mere fact that they have arrested the son of the present REO, is clearly an attempt to tarnish the character of the family, Hanoman added.Meanwhile, Adrian Thompson who is representing Blackman told the court that his client was picked up by the police on Mashramani Day.According to Thompson he was instructed by his client that the police used excessive force towards him.He said that nothing was recovered in his client’s premises or on his person that will implicate him in the robbery.He said that the police are acting on assumptions and other information received from unknown sources.Thompson also said that his client will not flee the jurisdiction since he is prepared to lodge his passport and any additional document so desired by the police. He requested for bail to be granted to his client and the others in a reasonable sum.In the end the magistrate granted bail and requested that the defendants appear back at the Christiansburg Magistrates Court on March 1.The thieves escaped with $5.4M in cash and a number of cheques after torching a safe in the RDC office.According to Regional Chairman, Mortimer Mingo, the guard alleged that one of the robbers held him at gunpoint and relieved him of the keys to the building.The man’s accomplices then reportedly entered the Accounts Department, and with the aid of a welding torch, gained access to the Council’s safe, and escaped with the cash,Cheap Authentic Jerseys, and about $3 million in cheques.Unconfirmed reports indicate that the torch was the same one that was stolen from the RDC some months ago. |
