Armed robbery charge dismissed against soldier after victim declines to give evidence

A 22-year-old soldier of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) walked out of the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court a free man on Wednesday after the armed robbery charge was dismissed against him.

Cidel Frank, of Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, was arrested on April 29 for the offence which occurred at Good Hope, Mahaica.

The accused appeared before Magistrate S. Marcus, where the charge was read to him and he pleaded not guilty.

The victim, a 17-year-old girl, offered not to give evidence against the suspect, hence the matter was dismissed, the Guyana Police Force revealed.

The police force had reported that the soldier and two others relieved the young girl of one ZTE cell phone valued at $40,000 and one Samsung Galaxy cell phone valued at $130,000 while she was on her way home.

Police explained that the girl and her male friend were going home on a bicycle when they noticed three males on the road.

As they approached where the males were, one of them grabbed the bicycle and demanded her belongings; he took her cellphones while the other two went to her friend and began to search him but found nothing.

A scuffle ensued between two of the perpetrators and the victim’s friend.

The girl told police that the other suspect hit her friend with a toy gun to his head and then made good their escape. Police said the area was checked and pieces of the toy gun were found.