Portmore man charged over alleged gunpoint robbery of woman's iPhones

Police have charged 33-year-old Shamar Champagne in relation to an alleged gunpoint robbery of a woman in Portmore, St Catherine, last year. He is accused of robbery with aggravation and possession of a prohibited weapon.

Champagne, whose address is listed as Potterdale Place in Cumberland, was charged on Tuesday by investigators from the Portmore Criminal Investigation Branch. Another accused man, Leon Pennicooke, had already been charged in the same case.

According to the allegations, the complainant was on Porthenderson Road near 5 North Greater Portmore about 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 18, when a black Honda Stream stopped and two men reportedly attacked her.

Police allege Pennicooke used a firearm to threaten the woman before taking her $3,000 knapsack, which held an iPhone 12 Pro Max and a rose gold iPhone XR. The two accused men then reportedly left the area in the vehicle.

The matter was reported to police, who began investigating. Champagne was later allegedly identified by the complainant during an identification parade and was formally charged after a question-and-answer session conducted with his attorney present.

His court date is still being arranged.