DeBritto refused bail


Stabroek News
April 28, 2000


Eloi DeBritto, the third accused in the foiled robbery bid on Maimoon Ali, manageress of Yuppies Depot, is wanted for questioning in relation to other robberies on the West Coast Demerara.

This was disclosed yesterday when DeBritto also known as `Buck Man', 22, of 17 James Street, Albouystown, appeared before Senior Magistrate, Dawn Gregory-Barnes, to answer charges of attempted murder and attempted robbery.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Gordon Peters, made strong objections to the man's pre-trial liberty, stating that the police believed that he had been involved in other robberies on the West Coast Demerara and was needed for questioning by the authorities there.

He further stated that the firearm used in the bungled crime had not been recovered.

Nigel Hughes, attorney for DeBritto, in his unsuccessful bail bid, stressed that a man was presumed innocent until proven guilty and requested today as the next court date, instead of May 5. He said: "every extra day a remanded person spends in prison is a travesty."

The magistrate denied the application, noting that the prosecutor was not in possession of the police file and was therefore unable to gave the facts to the court. In addition, the next court date of May 5, when all three accused are to appear in court, was not such an unduly long time.

Trevor Gaspar, 24, of 37 Ketley Street, Charlestown, and Ian Rodrigues, 25, of 71, Middle Road, La Penitence, have also been charged with committing the two offences.

According to the police, Ali was on her way to Citizens Bank, Camp Street in a taxi driven by Righbert Boatswain, when Gaspar and DeBritto came out of a car allegedly driven by Rodrigues, entered Boatswain's car and ordered him to "shut up and drive."

The taxi driver, instead, drove to the Brickdam Police Station and was allegedly shot twice in his chest by DeBritto.

DeBritto and Gaspar quickly exited the car as it stopped at the police station's entrance and headed south along Smyth Street before a passing police patrol captured Gaspar.

Gaspar and Rodrigues are currently out on $200,000 bail each.

DeBritto was apprehended on Thursday in Leopold Street by police who were searching for a suspect in another matter.