A robbery suspect who was apprehended by police after a high-speed chase, was charged with five counts of Robbery with Violence.
Ezekiel Brathwaite was denied bail when he appeared at the Couva Magistrates’ Court on Thursday and was remanded to prison. He was also charged with Dangerous Driving, to which he pleaded guilty and was fined $5000, time allowed three months in default six months’ simple imprisonment. He also answered to the charge of Using False Plates and was fined $10,000, time allowed six months in default two years hard labour.
According to police reports, around 9:55 pm on 7th September 2023, a man was in the garage area of his Balmain, Couva home, when he was accosted by five men. One of the assailants pointed a firearm at the man and announced a robbery. The man was later forced into the living room area of his home, where four other persons were seated. The five assailants demanded cash and jewellery, then proceeded to tie all five victims’ hands behind their backs. The assailants then ransacked the house and relieved the victims of cash, mobile phones and other personal items. All suspects then ran out of the house and escaped in an unknown direction
PC Hassanali and PC Ramcharan quickly responded to the report of the incident and proceeded to the location at Balmain Village, Couva, where the officers observed a black-coloured Nissan Wingroad Wagon motor vehicle parked in the vicinity of the victim’s home. Upon attempting to make checks on same, the driver of the said vehicle sped off in a westerly direction along Balmain Main Road, in an attempt to evade the police.
The officers pursued the vehicle which continued at a high rate of speed in a reckless manner, driving west along the eastbound lane in the direction of oncoming vehicles and also posed a threat to pedestrians. Central Division Task Force officers and Freeport Mobile Police intercepted the said vehicle at Calcutta #2, in an area known as “Hell Town”. The lone occupant, a 22-year-old man of Laventille Road, Laventille and also Haniff Trace, La Quesa, Freeport, was arrested and conveyed to the Couva Police Station, along with the vehicle.
Investigations are continuing and police are actively pursuing leads that can lead to the arrest of the other four alleged suspects.