A SAN FERNANDO man who allegedly struck a nine-year-old boy and robbed him of a cellphone at a playground in a Housing Development Corporation (HDC) community has appeared in court for the offence of robbery with violence.

Kody Yarde, 20, of the HDC’s Olera Heights on Circular Road, San Fernando, pleaded not guilty to the offence when he appeared before Master of the Court Delicia Bethelmy yesterday. The incident occurred on the evening of September 5 when the boy was playing at the playground.

The child reported that a man walked up to him, dealt him a blow on his right hand and demanded the cellphone the child was holding. The man then walked off with the cellphone.