Four years jail for Berbice men who robbed businesswoman, customers

Two Berbice residents, Silvester Joseph and Christopher Rampersaud were sentenced to four years imprisonment for robbing a businesswoman and four others in April this year at Canefield, East Canje Berbice.

Joseph, a 33-year-old carpenter of Victor Street, East Canjie Berbice and Rampersaud, a 40-year-old of Canefield, East Canjie Berbice, were arrested in April and charged with robbery under arms.

They were remanded to prison on April 19 for robbing a 54-year-old businesswoman, Tarmattie Seelochan and four others at her business –Indra’s Grocery and Beer Garden –at Canefield, East Canjie Berbice on April 13, 2019.

Police said that the two men appeared at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday last before Magistrate Renita Singh where they changed their pleas to guilty and were each sentenced to four years imprisonment.

The two men and an accomplice stormed the business armed with cutlass and guns at about 22:00hrs and relieved some 20 customers of their cellphones, cash, jewellery as well as car keys.

The bandits subsequently robbed Seelochan of $300,000 in cash, one gold ring and two cell phones.

They also robbed her husband, Premchand Seelochan of two gold rings, one silver band and one wrist watch.

After committing the act, the bandits escaped in a car belonging to one of the victims. The vehicle was recovered the following day in a community on the East Bank of Berbice.

Subsequently, the men were arrested and charged along with 22-year-old Ashley Bonita Drepaul of Main Street Cumberland, Canjie Berbice who is said to be Joseph’s girlfriend.

Drepaul was arrested since one of the phones was found in her possession.

The News Room was informed that Drepaul’s case is still ongoing.