Two jailed for robbing Princes Town gyro vendor

TWO Enterprise men who robbed a Royal Gyro owner while he was working in Princes Town were sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour after pleading guilty to robbery with aggravation.

Prince Douglas, 26, of Railway Road, Clarke Street, Enterprise, and Methusela Kenny Jones, 21, of Selwyn Street, Dass Trace, Enterprise, appeared before magistrate Taramatie Ramdass at the Princes Town First Court on Monday.

A third person, Cody Akini Brereton, 25, of Indian Walk, Moruga, who was jointly charged, pleaded not guilty.

Brereton was granted bail of $250,000. He was ordered to keep at least 100 metres from the virtual complainant and report to the Chaguanas Police Station every Friday. He is due to reappear in court on October 16.

The court heard that around 8.20 pm on last Friday, Elie Hanna, 28, of Balmain Village, Couva, was selling at St Julien Village, Princes Town, when two men approached – Douglas, who was armed, and Jones.

Hanna who said he became frightened, ran across the road for safety and saw the men remove $7,000 from the cash register and two cellphones, an iPhone 13 Pro Max valued at $11,000, and a black Samsung valued at $1,500.

The suspects escaped in a waiting silver Nissan B-15, which had false number plates.

Under the supervision of Sgt Neil Nanan of the Princes Town CID, PC Ali, along with PC Clement and officers of the Southern Division Task Force Area East Patrol and WPC Buntin of the Princes Town mobile patrol, responded.

They intercepted the getaway car near Ramnarine Trace. Its occupants matched the description given by the victim. One of the cellphones was recovered from one of the suspects.

PC Ali arrested and charged the men.