Five, including minor, in court charged with several offences

Five people, including a soldier and a minor, appeared before a Couva magistrate, last week, charged with a series of offences including robbery with violence.

Last Wednesday, Lance Cpl Sheldon Cole, also called Soldier Boy and Batch, of Arena Road in Freeport, and a 17-year-old boy from Barataria, faced Magistrate Alexander Prince.

Prince granted Cole $400,000 bail and ordered him to report to the Freeport police station twice weekly. He had no previous convictions or pending matters.

The magistrate granted the minor $250,000 bail. As a condition, he must report to the Barataria police station on Wednesdays between 6 am and 6 pm.

Attorneys Shivon Francis and Patrick Godson-Phillip represented Cole and attorney Kern Young represented the minor.

Also charged were Jahlon "Chitters" Chitterman and Keston "Axe Dog" Joseph, both of Enterprise, and Tisha Scott of Peytonville in Arima.

Police held the five in Chaguanas on February 22, near the Edinburgh 500 taxi stand in Montrose, Chaguanas. It is alleged that they had a gun and 15 rounds of ammunition in their possession.

Cpl Ramdeo of Chaguanas police station laid the two charges.

Police also charged the five with larceny, robbery with violence and five counts of robbery with aggravation arising out of an incident earlier in the day at a supermarket in Couva.

It is alleged the establishment's owners, customers, and two delivery workers were robbed of cash, cellphones, and other valuables.

PC Flemming of the Couva police station laid those charges.

The magistrate granted the woman $300,000 bail and ordered her to report to the La Horquetta police station on Wednesdays. Attorney Criston Williams represented her.

Chitterman, who represented himself, was denied bail as the magistrate was told he had four pending matters.

Prince also denied bail to Joseph, who also did not have an attorney. The court was told Joseph had seven convictions, including breaching the curfew in August last year, driving without a permit and insurance, and two counts of robbery with aggravation. He also has three pending matters.

The accused five were not called upon to enter a plea.

Sgt Randy Mungroo prosecuted and Prince adjourned the cases to March 21.

On Thursday, Joseph and the minor faced the same magistrate on additional charges of robbery with violence.

The charge against them was that on February 20, at Bi Liy Supermarket, at the Southern Main Road, Chase Village, they hit the victim with a gun and demanded money. They allegedly robbed the man of his cellphone worth $9,000, ransacked the business and stole $13,000.

PC Bakan of Freeport police station laid those charges.

Prince adjourned the matter relating to the robbery with violence charges to Monday.