No Bail for Coast Guard Officer Charged in Puma Robbery

This morning, coast guard officer Shakeem Richards appeared in court and was arraigned for two counts of robbery. Because the crime was committed with a firearm, it is an indictable offense and no bail was offered to the accused. He was instead remanded until September fifth.  Late this evening, Richards was escorted to Hattieville – not to his house though, but to the Belize Central Prison where he is spending his time behind bars. Richards appeared before Magistrate Khiana Gordon for the crime which occurred last Thursday. Why two counts of robbery? One is for five hundred and fifty-one dollars in different denominations that were stolen from the gas station and the other is for stealing a cell phone from Felicia Flowers. Richards did not work alone because details suggest that there were three gunmen who targeted the gas station and escaped into a Nissan Xterra SUV with license plate BCC-55061. Richards, who was behind the wheel, was intercepted on Holy Emmanuel Street and the cell phone was found in his possession. Richards pled not guilty to both charges. He was represented in court by attorney Ian Gray.