Azore Joseph, 25, a construction worker of Angoys Avenue, New Amsterdam, was on Wednesday remanded to prison for damaging property belonging to Republic Bank and Scotiabank, both located on Strand, New Amsterdam. He will also undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
The accused appeared before Magistrate Michelle Matthias at the Reliance Magistrates’ Court. He was represented by Attorney-at-Law Akim Lampkin, who informed the court that his client has been suffering from a psychiatric condition that reportedly began about four months ago while Joseph was residing in Georgetown.
According to Lampkin, Joseph’s mental health deteriorated to the point where his family had to intervene, eventually bringing him back to New Amsterdam. The attorney requested that his client not be remanded, noting that Joseph’s family had cooperated fully with the police following the incident, which led to his arrest.
Lampkin argued that remanding Joseph would serve no useful purpose and instead asked that he be sent for psychiatric evaluation.
However, Police Prosecutor Sergeant Mark Phillips opposed the request, expressing concern about the accused being released after undergoing evaluation at the National Psychiatric Hospital. The prosecutor recommended that the court read the charge but defer the accused’s plea at this stage.
Magistrate Matthias, noting Joseph’s mental state, ruled that the charge would not be read until it was established that he could understand the proceedings. “When the charge is read to Joseph, he must be able to understand it,” she said, emphasising that proper control and assessment were necessary before the matter could proceed.
In court, Joseph’s mother, Gloria Simon, told the magistrate that her son had been behaving abnormally for several months and, although she brought him home from Georgetown, he had not received any professional evaluation or treatment.
The court heard that during the alleged incident, which occurred on Sunday, Joseph caused extensive damage to both banks. At Republic Bank, four glass windows, two glass doors, and two ATM machines were reportedly destroyed. At Scotiabank, eight glass windows and two glass doors were damaged.
Magistrate Matthias ordered that Joseph be remanded to prison and undergo a psychiatric evaluation before his next court appearance.
The matter has been transferred to the New Amsterdam Magistrates’ Court, where Joseph is scheduled to return on November 6.
