A 26-year-old Venezuelan national was on Monday sentenced to one year and six months in prison after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm.
The police said that Luis Eduardo Lepaje Chacon, a labourer of Prospect, East Bank Demerara, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm without a licence, contrary to Section 16(2)(a) of the Firearms Act.
Chacon, who was arrested on June 11, appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court on Monday. The charge was read to him in English and translated into Spanish.
He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.
Police had earlier said a report was received that a male had entered a business place and was later observed with what appeared to be a firearm.
Acting on information received, ranks proceeded and contacted Chacon.
Further investigations led ranks to a construction site in the area, where a search was conducted and one pistol with an empty magazine was found concealed.
During the exercise, several cellular phones and a Rambo-type knife were also found.
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