The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 37-year-old man was charged with armed robbery in the Magistrates Court yesterday. Miguel Francis, also known as “Smokey”, was accused of robbing Tevaun Davis on August 4. The prosecution said the funds belonged to Polhemus Drugs.

According to initial reports, shortly before 2pm that afternoon, a lone gunman entered the business situated on Boyd Road and robbed a cashier of an undetermined amount of money. Police said the suspect then exited the store before escaping in an unknown direction.

During the hearing, Francis was not required to enter a plea and the matter was adjourned to October 15 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).

Bail was denied and the defendant was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until trial.

He has a right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

In a separate matter, a man who was found with $300 worth of counterfeit Bahamian notes was fined $500 yesterday.

Michael Thompson, a fisherman by profession, was arrested after police discovered three fraudulent Bahamian $100 bills in his possession when they searched him on August 22.

The court heard officers near Windsor Place on Soldier Road conducted a search of Thompson’s Honda on the day in question. While doing so, they discovered the counterfeit notes and arrested the defendant. In an interview with police at a nearby station, Thompson acknowledged the money was fraudulent, but said he received it from a man whom he had sold a car to for $1,800 on August 14.

After pleading guilty to one count of possession of forged currency notes during his hearing before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes yesterday, Thompson was fined $500.

Magistrate Forbes warned him if he failed to pay, he could risk spending six months in prison.