Douglas for High Court trial Can't recall making 'ghost tape' By Leonard Gildarie Stabroek News April 18, 2000 Andrew Douglas, who was yesterday committed to stand trial in the High Court for the daring multi-million dollar America Street cambio robbery, gave a sworn statement saying he could not remember making the mysterious "ghost tape." The tape purported to link top government officials and senior police officers with the late notorious wanted man, Linden 'Blackie' London, leader of a gang that Douglas was allegedly a member of. Douglas, charged jointly with Kevin Alli on several counts relating to the September 22 robbery, elected to make the statement from the witness box although his lawyer, Nigel Hughes, was not present in court. He was warned by Chief Magistrate, Paul Fung-A-Fat, that by placing himself in the witness box, he was opening himself to questions by Special Prosecutor, Khemraj Ramjattan. The accused said that he left Guyana in July last year and took up residence in Paramaribo, Suriname. Between August and October, Douglas claimed, he applied for a Dutch passport and was granted one, serial# 856533 in the name of Todd Dexter, in October. Two months later, Douglas said, he used the passport to travel to Antigua. While returning from that island, the accused related, he was held in Curacao, by the authorities for failing to confirm a flight. On March 2, 2000, he was held in Suriname by the police and, five days later, handed over to the Guyana authorities. Douglas pointed out that these were the circumstances surrounding his arrest in Suriname, and that he was innocent of the charges since he was not in Guyana at the time of the robbery. Replying to questions posed by Ramjattan, Douglas said that he was self-employed as a miner in the interior of Suriname and admitted being a born Guyanese whose name is Andrew Douglas. Asked if he had completed a Deed Poll in Guyana to have his name changed from Andrew Douglas to Todd Dexter, the accused replied in the negative. He denied lying to the Suriname authorities about his name. Replying to queries whether his name changed whenever he went to another country, Douglas said yes. Alli, who was also committed to stand trial along with Douglas, refused to sign his committal papers yesterday stating that Hughes, his lawyer, was not present. Douglas also called 'Fine Man', 35, of 32 Friendship, East Coast Demerara, is charged jointly with two counts of robbery with Alli called 'Raspo', of 256 Long Pond, Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara. Douglas is also additionally charged with five counts of attempted murder, all relating to persons who were shot during the robbery. According to the police, bandits allegedly led by 'Blackie', descended on the D.Singh and Sons cambio and carted off millions in local and foreign currency. Five persons, including a policeman, were shot. One of the bandits, Terry 'Rusty' Madhoo, a wanted man, was killed in the Mocha canefields during a police standoff. The men later escaped. Alli is accused of aiding and abetting in the robbery. Douglas, for whom wanted posters were splashed around the country, was captured in neighbouring Suriname early last month and was brought back to Guyana where police also linked him to the sensational National Insurance Scheme $13 million robbery of January 10 and the Didco heist of September 1. Reputed wives of Douglas and Alli are also facing separate charges of receiving stolen property; that is proceeds from the cambio robbery. On Thursday, Douglas was committed to stand trial in the High Court, by Magistrate Dawn Holder-Alert for the NIS heist. A ruling in the completed preliminary inquiry into the Didco robbery is expected to be handed down today by the same magistrate. Two other persons alleged to have been involved in the cambio robbery, taxi-driver Clyde Atwell of Eccles, East Bank Demerara, and Toyin Anderson called 'Bugs' of Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen, West Coast Demerara, are currently awaiting High Court trial after being committed by Fung-A-Fat, in February. Anderson is also charged with being part of the gang which pulled off the Didco heist.