Alleged robbers remanded

A call centre worker and two men who were arrested and charged with kidnapping and robbery were remanded following their appearance in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court yesterday.

Monique Miller, Russean Slowly and Ricardo Burrowes are jointly charged with kidnapping, robbery with aggravation and conspiracy to kidnap. Miller is also charged with receiving stolen property and Slowly is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. They have not yet entered a plea.

The allegations are that on January 31 about 6:30 a.m, the complainant boarded a motor car, which was being operated as a taxi by Burrowes, who was in the company of Slowly and Miller. Shortly after entering the vehicle, she was allegedly told by Burrowes that "she buck up in a criminals dis mawning."

Burrowes allegedly told Slowly, who was seated in the back with the complainant, covered her face with a mask. Slowly reportedly took away the complainant's handbag containing her cellular phone and credit card. The accused took the complainant to a location, where she was left alone with Slowly while Burrowes and Miller took the card after forcing her to give them the PIN.

Miller and Burrowes went to a pharmacy in the Half-Way Tree area where they spent $12,206 and then went to a supermarket in the Liguanea area, where they purchased items totalling $38,863.49. Miller, it is alleged, went to several ATMs in the Corporate Area and made withdrawals of about $145,931 using the card. The court heard that Slowly inflicted several blows to the complainant's arms, legs and face, dislodging a tooth. Attorney-at-law Davion Vassell represents Slowly and Burrowes, while Anna-Kay Kelly represents Miller.

The lawyers made bail applications before Parish Judge Jacqueline Wilcott. Their clients have been in custody since February. It was revealed that Burrowes was on bail.

The prosecutor informed Wilcott that the police are opposed to bail as they feel that the accused will re-offend.

Vassell told the court that Slowly has no previous convictions and has a permanent address in the Kingston 13 area, which is close to a police station. He recommended that his client be ordered to report to the station daily and be given a curfew. Kelly submitted to the court that her client denies the allegations.

"She actually was helpful to the police as she indicated to them that she was given a card by her then boyfriend and asked to go to a couple locations. Moreover, Your Honour, with respect to these allegations, there was no description of the female made by the complainant in any of her statements. Moreover, unlike the other two accused, there was no formal identification process at all, that was done with respect to Ms Miller," Kelly said. The court heard that Burrowes was in a relationship with Miller.

Furthermore, Kelly stated that her client was not a flight risk and the police had her passport. Kelly also said that Miller lives with her mother who takes care of her child.

After hearing the applications, Walcott denied bail for Miller and Slowly. They are expected to be brought to court on January 6. Burrowes had his bail extended to return to court on the same date.