Man charged: Robbery of postal worker, attempted murder of cop

Ten months following a daring daylight robbery of a postal corporation worker and shooting of a police officer, police, yesterday, at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court, arrested and charged Colin “Cocoa Browne” David in connection with the crimes.{{more}}

Browne, who was, just four days ago, committed to stand trial in the High Court on a murder charge, is charged with the attempted murder of Police Constable 843 Julanie Jack, and for, being armed with a gun, robbing Cleopatra Wilson, a postal corporation worker of EC$102,000, on June 13, 2013.

He was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charges.

Assistant director of Public Prosecutions Colin John, in objection to David’s bail, stated that he was a flight risk and that he was picked up by Grenadian authorities in June 2013, after being sought by local police.

Reports are that at about 11 a.m. on the day in question, a male snatched a deposit bag containing over $100,000 from a female employee of the postal corporation, who was returning from the bank.

Jack was in the vicinity at the time and during his attempt to apprehend the man, he was shot twice.

Former national footballer Dwayne Sandy had been named as a suspect in that matter. However, after being arrested twice, Sandy was released at about 4:50 a.m. on June 22, without being charged.

Since the incident, officer Jack has not resumed duty, and is reported to be still recovering from injuries he sustained.

Jack has since had numerous surgeries and is scheduled to undergo further medical treatment.

Browne is being represented by lawyers Israel Bruce and Michaela Ambrose.

A preliminary inquiry into the matter is set for July 4.

On Friday, April 4, Chief Magistrate Sonya Young had found that there was sufficient evidence for David to answer to a judge and jury in the High Court for the murder of Devon Jahjust Steele of Rose Place.

Steele, 33, was gunned down in the wee hours of the morning on May 5, 2013, at Rose Place, Kingstown.

He sustained gunshot wounds to the back of his head and chest.

Seven months before David was charged with Steele’s murder, he was freed of another murder charge.

In November 2012, Director of Public Prosecutions Colin Williams discontinued a trial in which David was charged with the murder of Ashley “Seymour” Warren.

Warren, a fruit vendor, succumbed to a single bullet to his neck, after leaving his fruit stall at Little Tokyo to carry out a transaction at Long Wall, on January 22, 2009.

Another man has since been charged in connection with that crime.