| Mark Lee Young, called ‘Junior’, 36, a suspect in the recent Rosignol pawnshop robbery, was back in court yesterday,Joe Mullen Adidas Jersey, this time at New Amsterdam.Lee Young appeared before Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo on five more robbery under arms charges.The known criminal suspect was charged with the Wednesday December 28, 2011 robbery of Bibi Osman at Smythfield, New Amsterdam, Berbice.It is alleged that Lee Young, while in the company of others and armed with a gun, robbed the woman of five gold earrings, three gold chains, one pair gold bangles and $200,000.Another charge stated that on Friday, January 27, last, at No7 Village, East Coast Berbice, Lee Young and others robbed Indranie Ramnarine of six gold finger rings, two pairs gold bangles, two gold chains, one pair gold earrings, two wrist watches, one cell phone, GT&T and Digicel Phone cards.The third, fourth and fifth charges, all related to robbery of a minibus and its passengers on Friday February 3, at Susannah (No19) Village East Coast Berbice.One of these charges alleges that Lee Young and others robbed Chetram Sirkissoon of one minibus valued $2M, property of Inderjeet Deosarran.On the same day Lee Young and his gang robbed Sirkissoon of $200,000 the property of James Ross.The prosecution is alleging that the gang had entered the bus en route to Corentyne when in the vicinity of Susannah one of them stopped the vehicle to relieve himself.As the vehicle waited for him his accomplices whipped out guns and proceeded to rob the passengers. Sirkissoon, who was the driver, was also relieved of the money which was given to him to ferry to somebody up the Corentyne. Lee Young then took hold of the vehicle and drove it to a desolate area aback of Palmyra where it was found abandoned.Prosecutor Inspector Donna Grant Fraser opposed bail on the basis of the gravity and prevalence of the crime.She also stated that the accused is charged with numerous crimes and has many other charges pending. The court was told that the other suspects are still at large. Lee young was described as a flight risk.The prosecutor stated that the accused is well known to the court and was previously charged with illegal possession of arms and ammunition. He was granted bail but did not attend court.He was subsequently jailed for three years in his absence. He was never arrested until recently.Lee Young, for the second time, gave his occupation as a minibus driver, but it is understood that the man was never issued with a driver’s licence.He was captured minutes after he and another notorious bandit, Richard Barrow, called ‘110’ of Lot 75 Mocha, East Bank Demerara, had robbed Rams Jewellery World and Pawn Shop at Lot 52 Public Road, Rosignol, West Bank Berbice of $14.9M in gold and diamond jewelry last week Tuesday.The men had made good their escape. However, Young was captured in the Berbice River, holding on to a pontoon that supports the Berbice River Bridge. He was searched and a bag that he had in his possession was found to contain a quantity of jewelry, an unlicensed .32 pistol with nine matching rounds and an unlicensed .38 snub-nose revolver with four matching rounds.He has since been admitting to a number of crimes committed in various parts of the country and has been positively identified in several other matters. He is due to be placed on other Identification parades. His next court date is March 12.In the meanwhile, the two police officers who were on duty at the time when Richard Barrow escaped have been placed on open arrest.The two officers, a female Corporal who was in charge of the shift, and the male Constable who took the prisoners out of the cell, were initially placed under close arrest at the Central Police Station pending investigation.The police have issued a wanted bulletin for Barrow. |
