‘Beaver’ found guilty on four charges, sentenced to prison

Tears streamed down Alaskie “Beaver” Samuel’s face last Friday, as he was sentenced at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court for offences committed on August 18, 2014.{{more}}

The Redemption Sharpes resident was found guilty of the four gun and ammunition related charges with which he had been slapped, after he was discovered with a pistol and an extended magazine that contained 27 rounds of ammunition, in a vehicle in the Battery Hill area by police.

According to evidence given in court, a black mask, a pair of black gloves and a multicoloured book bag with clothing and a license plate in it were also found on the vehicle seat next to Samuel.

For the possession of a Glock 17 pistol without legal permission, Samuel was given three years imprisonment; for the possession of a weapon with the intent of endangering life, four years imprisonment; for the possession of a weapon with the intent of committing an offence, two years and for the possession of 27 rounds of 9mm bullets, two years.

The sentences will run concurrently.

A video recording of an interview done by two officers with Samuel, on the day after he was arrested, was entered into evidence following a voir dire.

Around midday Friday, the magistrate, prosecution, the defendant and his counsel, as well as members of the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) engaged in a locus to the site at Battery Hill where Samuel was arrested on August 18 by Sergeant Dwayne Bailey, an officer attached to the RRU.

While on site, Bailey dispersed officers in the same way that he did on August 18 when they were on duty in Rose Place and intercepted the vehicle that Samuel was in. This was done so that the magistrate could have a clearer understanding of the evidence that was given in court.

Counsel for the defendant Kay Bacchus-Browne noted that no antecedence was provided by the prosecution to the court and that according to law, if no disclosure is made to the court, then Samuel is to be regarded as having no previous record.

Bacchus-Browne also noted that Samuel helped police in recovering the weapons.

Before handing down judgment on Friday, Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias stated that all offences that Samuel was charged with were serious offences.

Browne Matthias opined that Samuel was a young man who could change his ways for the better, once he is given proper guidance.

“There is no antecedence before me, so I’m going to view him as …without antecedence,” the magistrate said.

In 2012, Samuel was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to a manslaughter charge against him, in relation to the 2007 shooting death of 23-year-old Ishmael Byron.

Along with Samuel, Carlo “Bondo” Free and Fitz-Allan “Wizzy” Bramble were initially charged with Byron’s murder.

Samuel was released from Her Majesty’s Prison in 2013 after spending the majority of five years on remand.