Douglas secures bail reduction for wife
ANDREW Peter Douglas known as Todd Dexter and `Fine Man', dubbed a lieutenant of slain bandit Linden London called `Blackie', yesterday secured a bail reduction for his reputed wife, Venetta Samlall, who is accused of getting some money from one of his heists. Douglas, facing an indictable charge in the $13M National Insurance Scheme (NIS) January 10 robbery, had pleaded with Magistrate Dawn Holder-Alert to free his spouse on her own recognisance so she can take care of their children. Addressing the Court in the absence of Defence Counsel Nigel Hughes, at the continuation of the preliminary inquiry (PI) into NIS charge against him, Douglas told Mrs Holder-Alert that Samlall is still incarcerated because she cannot afford the surety previously reduced to $25,000. The prisoner said he was out of Guyana at the time of the robberies he is accused of committing and said his Dutch passport could prove his innocence. In answer to Mrs Holder-Alert, the Police Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent Oswald Massiah said he would be calling as many witnesses as possible in Samlall's case and reiterated that the travel document referred to by Douglas is with the Dutch authorities. The magistrate lowered Samlall's bond to $15,000 and adjourned both cases to April 10. Samlall nicknamed `Baby', of Lot 43 Race Course Dam, Corentyne, Berbice and Sirimarvo Indera Rudolph, of Lot 256 Sisters Village, Long Pond, West Bank Demerara, are both charged with receiving $100,000 each from Douglas, on September 22, knowing the money was part of the haul from the daring daylight America Street, Georgetown robbery in which bandits terrorised commuters in the vicinity with wanton gunfire. Douglas, of Lot 32 Friendship Middle Walk, East Coast Demerara, is accused of robbing June Ann Perez, an NIS employee, of $13,736,993, while being armed with a gun. London, who was shot dead during a shootout with policemen and soldiers after being at large for some 10 years, was fingered in that crime, as well.
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