A man from whom the police said they recovered a homemade gun had his request denied to have his reporting conditions reduced to once weekly.
Twenty-one-year-old Giovanni Robinson also called Sparter or Gio, who was charged for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, had told his attorney that he had financial difficulties in affording the cost of transportation to travel to the police station.
However, when the matter appeared before the St Ann Parish Court on Wednesday, September 21, senior parish judge Andrea Thomas explained that he could walk to the police station.
Police said they recovered a homemade gun from Robinson’s waistband in 2015. He was reportedly walking along the roadway in Ocho Rios when his actions aroused the suspicion of police who searched him. Police said they also found one live round in Robinson’s pocket.
He was offered bail in the sum of $250,000 last year. As a condition of his bail Robinson was to relocate from Ocho Rios and reside with relatives in Gayle in St Mary. However, that has been since changed and he is residing elsewhere in the parish.
An application was made by Robinson’s attorney, Ramon Clayton, who explained that his client was reporting twice per week to the Oracabessa police station, but was finding it difficult to travel to the station. This was caused by Robinson’s lack of employment. He had to depend on family members at the moment and Clayton explained his client was asking to report once weekly.
Judge Thomas reminded Robinson that he had requested a change in his reporting and he would have been given the nearest police station to his living address.
“Where do you currently reside now, sir?” Judge Thomas asked.
Robinson indicated that he lived in Spring Valley and when asked by the judge how far that was from the police station, he stated it was ten minutes away by car.
“Well sir, you can walk,” Judge Thomas told him.
However, Robinson told her “sun hot.”
“The problem with these young people is that they are too lazy, too lazy. Too lazy to work… I would walk,” Judge Thomas stated.
She advised Robinson that he “could wake up early.”
“Sir, the exercise will be good for you,” Judge Thomas told him.
In the meantime, an outstanding ballistic report was now on the case file and on the next court date, attorney Clayton will receive the documents in the case.
Robinson had his bail extended to return to court on October 18.
