An Albertown delivery driver was on Tuesday remanded to prison after being charged with possession of ammunition and a firearm without a licence, following an appearance before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The accused, 28-year-old Jorwui Jose Parale Soto, appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court heard that Soto is accused of being in possession of components of ammunition—five empty spent shells—and a .38 Smith & Wesson revolver on May 2, 2025, at Regent and Light Streets, Georgetown, without being the holder of a firearm licence.
According to the prosecution, the items were allegedly found on the defendant’s waist during a police search.
Soto, however, disputed the allegation, telling the court that he was delivering an item for someone when he was stopped by a police officer on a motorcycle.
He claimed that nothing was found during the initial search and that officers later retrieved the items from a yard, which they then attributed to him.
The prosecution objected to bail, arguing that there were no special circumstances to justify release. It further noted that Soto had previously been charged with a similar offence in 2023.
In response, Magistrate McGusty questioned the defendant regarding his prior case, to which he said he had paid $350,000 bail but did not return to court, stating that he was unsure of how the legal process worked.
The magistrate raised concerns over the court’s ability to rely on his assurance that he would return for trial, given his prior history.
Bail was subsequently refused, and Soto was remanded to prison. The matter was adjourned to May 20.
