Duo jailed for armed robbery of Charity businessman
Isaiah Okmie Barclay also known as ‘Blackboy’ of D’Urban Street, Georgetown, and Nigel Bentick of South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, were yesterday each sentenced to 30 months in prison after they both pleaded guilty to robbing a Charity, Essequibo couple.
The duo made their first appearance before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court.
They were charged with robbery with violence. The charge stated that on January 1 at Charity, armed with a knife and cutlass, they robbed Mohamed Khan and his wife, Sohanie Sanchara of $4,822,641 and $1.1 million in phone cards.
The accused were unrepresented in court. Bentick however requested medical attention stating that he had been “chopped” in the head.
Police prosecutor, Corporal Jaikaran Rebai, told the court that the incident occurred around 11 on New Year’s morning. Khan had received a call from a customer and had opened his door to attend to him when he was confronted by the two suspects armed with a knife and a cutlass. One of the suspects then placed a knife to his throat and a hand around his neck.
The other suspect then went to the man’s wife and duct taped her hands. He then proceeded to the couple’s bedroom and ransacked the drawers where he found the money and phone cards.
However, the businessman managed to free himself and dealt a chop to one of the suspects prompting the other suspect, in retaliation, to chop the businessman in the head.
The robbers then fled with the cash and phone cards. An alarm was raised and a report was made at the Charity Police Station. Immediately, roadblocks were set up and searches initiated which resulted in the suspects being caught by the Charity Somerset and Berks Community Policing Group.
The police recovered the money and phone cards.