| A miner accused of two robberies and of ‘outsmarting’ several taxi drivers of their service charge is set to spend the holidays in jail.Faizal Mohamed, of Lot 263 Albert Street, Georgetown, was remanded until next year when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer two robbery charges and three counts of obtaining credit by false pretence.The 48-year-old is being accused of robbing Tilak Singh of his $5000 cellular phone and $25,000 in local currency at Church Street, Georgetown on November 26, last.The police also alleged that on Monday, at Orange Walk, Bourda,Adidas NMD Wholesale Price, Mohamed wielded a gun and robbed Rajesh Javan of $100,000 and a Samsung Galaxy cellular phone valued $70,000.The court also heard that Mohamed racked up about $35,500 in debt from three taxi drivers.The first obtaining credit by false pretence indictment against him read that on November 26, last at Georgetown he incurred a debt of $14,500 due to taxi driver Abrahim Raymond by means of travelling and refusing to pay.The court heard that the day before that, Mohamed similarly incurred a debt of $15,000 due to another taxi driver, Michael Mohabir. It was further alleged that on Monday, the accused incurred a debt to Mootoo Verai of $6000 by travelling in his car PRR 6941 and refusing to pay.The indictments were read to him by Magistrate Ann McLennan and he pleaded not guilty.In explaining the first charge, Police Prosecutor, Corporal Deniro Jones told the court that on the day in question, Singh was operating his taxi at Croal Street, Stabroek when the defendant came up and requested a lift to Church Street.After reaching his destination, Mohamed paid Singh but as the driver reached for the defendant’s change he felt a hard object pressed to his waist. It was there, Jones said, that Mohamed demanded that the driver hand over his valuables.The Prosecutor reported that the driver surrendered his items to Mohamed who quickly fled the scene. The matter was reported and subsequent investigations led to the 48-year-old being arrested and charged.Mohamed had initially tried to convince the court to accept guilty pleas on all the charges claiming that he had no one and wanted to have the matter done with the very day.After listening to the Prosecution’s account, however, the miner contended, “I jump in the taxi and I pay. Now the taxi man telling people I ain’t pay him…I done pay him already.”It was at this point that Magistrate McLennan said, matter-of-factly, “You’re not charged for not paying him, you’re charged for robbing him.”“That’s what I telling you, I ain’t had no phone or nothing. The police ain’t got nothing to charge me,” he retorted. Asked why he pleaded guilty, he said, “Well not guilty.”“I never robbed Javan. The man got he phone back right in the station. The CID give he de phone, “Mohamed added.Joining in, the Prosecutor objected to bail citing the gravity of the allegations. Jones spoke of the penalty of the offences and the fact that the articles were found on the defendant.“This is his modus operandi, your Worship” the Prosecutor said.He told the court that there are more charges pending for Mohamed in Berbice and other places in the country. In his objections to bail, Jones claimed that Mohamed would not return to face trial.Much to the amusement of those in the court gallery, Mohamed, “I don’t have nobody to come visit me in prison. See what you could give me. Before I go on remand and waste my time, best I tek a small sentence please.”Asked whether he was changing his plea, Mohamed said, “I just asking what you gon give me.” He was informed by the Magistrate, however, that “it doesn’t work like that.”e Magistrate, however, that “it doesn’t work like that.”After recording a not guilty plea on the charges, the Magistrate remanded Mohamed to prison. His case is set to be called before Magistrate Fabayo Azore on January 12. |
