May31,2016
Cleveland Pyle and Damion Pearce, the two RK’s Security Services guards who police say staged a robbery in order to steal millions, were yesterday charged and remanded to prison.
Pyle, 53, of 337 Number 9 Village, West Coast Berbice; Pearce, 35, and his wife, Eulesie Stephens, 29, both of Sophia, were charged with stealing $4,356,500, which was the property of Courts, $3,000,000, which was the property of S and S Supermarket and $148,840, which was the property of Church’s Chicken, as well as a .32 revolver and ten .32 rounds of ammunition that were the property of RK’s Security Services.
The court of Magistrate Zamilla Ally- Seepaul heard that they committed the theft on May 23, at Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara. The three were not required to plead to the charge.
Pearce was also separately charged with being in possession of a .32 revolver as well as five .32 rounds of ammunition, without being the holder of a firearm licence, on May 25, at Sophia. He pleaded not guilty to the two charges when they were also read to him.
It was initially claimed that Pearce was shot when he and Pyle were ambushed by a lone gunman while making a deposit at Demerara Bank’s Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara branch.
However, police subsequently said that they staged the robbery.
Police Prosecutors David Goodridge and Ayesha Gibbons, who objected to bail, stated that Pearce and Pyle went to uplift monies from the business places to take to Demerara Bank. According to Goodridge and Gibbons, Stephens joined the two security guards en route to the bank and she collected some of the cash and the gun and took them to her residence at Sophia. Stephens buried the items at the back of her yard, they alleged.
The prosecution said investigations were carried out as it was reported that the robbery was staged and Pearce being shot was part of the plan. The prosecution also said that Stephens took police to her yard, where she dug up the money and the gun and presented them to the police.
It was stated that the evidence against the trio is strong and it is suspected that if granted bail they may not return. It was also revealed that Pearce had a case pending in a city court for trafficking an illegal substance.
Appearing on behalf of Pearce and Stephens was attorney Adrian Thompson, who told the court that although his client was hospitalised, the police went and took him to the Vigilance Police Station lock-ups.
Thompson added that Stephens, who is a mother of four children including a five-month-old baby, should be granted bail since she is breast feeding. The lawyer argued that she had no role in the robbery, as she was never given any money and she was never employed with the security firm. He, therefore, asked the court to grant his clients reasonable bail.
A representative from S and S Supermarket, who was present in court, made a petition for the money to be returned to the store.
Magistrate Seepaul-Ally remanded Pearce, Pyle and Stephens to prison and adjourned the proceedings until July 5, when a report is expected to be presented to the court.
