RAVI Rampaul, also known as ‘Kill’ or ‘Killer’, yesterday appeared in Court charged with aiding and abetting two of the six men that were charged last February in connection with the theft of a recovered Guyana Defense Force (GDF) AK-47 rifle.

Rampaul (no address given) pleaded not guilty to the unlawful acquisition of firearm charge when he appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton.

Particulars of the offence said between December 1 and 31, 2007 at Alness Village, Corentyne, he aided and abetted Oudwin Fraser and Paul Rajigadoo to acquire a firearm, that is, one AK-47 rifle without being the owner of a firearm license.

The matter was adjourned to April 7 at Albion Magistrate’s Court.

Fraser (no address given) and Rajigadoo, 32, of Lot 48 Alness, Corentyne, Berbice appeared with Sharth Robertson, 20, of Lot 22 James Street, Hopetown and Alvin Wilson, of Paradise - two West Coast Berbice villages; Roy Gomes alias ‘Rambo’ and Devon Sharpe (no addresses given) last February 19, before the same Magistrate and were all remanded to prison.

Robertson, Wilson, Gomes, Sharpe and Rajigadoo faced a joint charge — which said between November 23 and 30, 2007, at the Army Camp Ayanganna headquarters, Thomas Lands, Georgetown, they conspired together to steal the gun, valued US$1,800 (equivalent to G$360,000).

Rajigadoo faced another charge which said that he counseled and committed the others to steal the rifle and that Sharpe, while knowing that Gomes, Rajigadoo, Wilson and Robertson stole it, relieved, comforted and assisted them in doing so.

Gomes, Rajigadoo, Sharpe and Oudwin Fraser also faced a joint charge of which said they unlawfully had the weapon in their possession, between November 26, 2007 and February 14, 2008, in the Berbice Magisterial District.

Fraser, however, appeared alone on two more indictable counts, one of which said, between November 26, 2007 and February 14, 2008, at Corentyne, he had possession of one 7.62 x 39 round of ammunition without a license.

He also, allegedly during the same period, received the AK-47, knowing it to have been feloniously stolen.

Police Inspector Desiree Fowler, prosecuting, had successfully opposed bail for all the accused after she pointed out that the AK-47 is one of several stolen from the Army and, as such, the Court ought to take a very serious view of the issue.