By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Court Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN has been sent to prison after being accused of a series of armed muggings over the last two months.
Michael Pratt, 20, represented by Alphonso Lewis, faced Magistrate Algernon Allen, Jr, yesterday on a charge of armed robbery.
Pratt, Cleophus Smith, 30, and Roberto Moxey, 21, faced charges of possession of ammunition, two counts of possession of an unlicensed firearm, two counts of recovering and two further counts of armed robbery.
It is alleged that, on February 3, Pratt was armed with a handgun and, with others, robbed Brenda Ginns of $12,000 in cash.
Then, on March 17, the trio were accused of robbing Scott Jupp at gunpoint of his white 2022 Suzuki XL7 jeep which is valued at $30,000. During this carjacking, it is said Jupp’s $150 gold quartz watch was also stolen.
On the same day, the trio are accused of the armed mugging of Sharlene King, when $1,800 in cash was stolen.
Finally, the three were apprehended by officers in Jubilee Gardens after they were stopped by police in the same vehicle they had allegedly stolen earlier that day. It is said that after a shootout, where one of the males was shot in his upper body, authorities uncovered an empty deposit bag alongside a large sum of cash in the vehicle.
Police further seized a brown Smith & Wesson pistol as well as a black Taurus G2C pistol with the serial number erased. It is also alleged 16 unfired rounds of 9mm ammunition were confiscated from the accused.
Smith claimed to the magistrate that he had an alibi for not being at the March 17 robberies due to having an ankle monitor at the time. None of the defendants were required to enter a plea in court.
As the charges are indictable offences, they were informed that this matter would be transferred to the Supreme Court by way of Voluntary Bill of Indictment, to be served on May 30.
The magistrate lacked jurisdiction to grant bail, but the defendants were informed they could apply through the higher court. Until then, the defendants have been remanded to prison.
Prior to being taking into remand, the defendants were allowed a brief moment with relatives present in court.
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