Two men who were remanded to prison on March 17 for alleged possession of firearms and ammunition were yesterday released on bail after their attorney, Lennox Hanoman, filed a petition in the High Court.
John De Santos and Mark Anthony Aaron, (no addresses provided), were granted $150,000 and $200,000 in bail respectively by Justice Jainarayan Singh Jnr.
Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen had remanded the men to prison after they each pleaded not guilty to the joint charge. De Santos, who is also facing the charge of possession of narcotics, denied having 9 grammes of cannabis on his person on the same day.
According to the allegations against them, De Santos and Aaron were detained at the Providence Police Station on March 7, after a search of the vehicle, in which they had been travelling, reportedly uncovered two AK-47 rifles, one Glock .45 pistol and one .32 Taurus in addition to ten rounds of .45 ammunition, fourteen .32 rounds of ammunition and 54 rounds of 7.62x39 ammunition.
The accused will return to the Georgetown Magistrate's Court on March 31 while the possession of narcotics matter has been transferred to the Providence Magistrate's Court where it was expected to have come up last Monday.
State Counsel James Bond appeared on behalf of the chambers of the Director of Public Prose-cutions (DPP) in the High Court bail-petition hearing before Justice Singh Jnr.