A cricket team manager picked the "ringleader" of a gang that robbed him out of a Police line-up, Magistrates' Court heard.

However the defence lawyer for the accused man, Jahkiel Samuels, 24, claimed it was a case of "mistaken identity".

Victim Tareek Somner, of the Bailey's Bay club, told Magistrates' Court earlier this month he was taken hostage in his own car by a group of men who beat and robbed him.

During his evidence, he said seven men approached him as he left the venue early on April 25, 2009. Three jumped in his car and "begged" for a lift to Hamilton. He obliged but they turned violent during the journey.

He said the three in the car plus the other four who followed on motorbikes attacked him after he pulled his car over at Burchall's Cove, and stole his wallet and BlackBerry cell phone.

Mr. Somner said he was punched in the face and knocked to the ground where he was kicked and beaten.

Samuels, of Pembroke, is one of two men charged over the attack. He denies robbery and assault. However, Mr. Somner, 28, alleges Samuels was the "ringleader" of the group.

He told the court he recognised Samuels from encountering him at bars in Hamilton in particular the Ozone nightclub where he worked as a bouncer between 2004 and 2007.

He described him as the person the rest of the robbers "looked up to", and said he sat in the front passenger seat of his car during the incident.

Giving evidence in the case yesterday, Police Inspector Simon Groves explained that Mr. Somner positively identified Samuels in an ID parade.

However, defence lawyer Elizabeth Christopher suggested during her closing remarks to Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo that this was a case of mistaken identity.

She reiterated a previous point that Mr. Somner is blind in his left eye and that he told the court Samuels was sitting to his left. She also pointed out that it was dark, and Mr. Somner could have been tired at the time of the early-hours incident.

Ms Christopher said that there is no evidence apart the victim's that Samuels was even in Hamilton Parish that night. She acknowledged that Mr. Somner had indeed been attacked, but suggested that client had been misidentified.

"I would submit that this is a case of an honest mistake," she said.

Ms Christopher also pointed out that the victim only discovered his wallet and phone were missing when he got home.

"That must raise the question as to whether Mr. Somner was robbed at all and whether he had property stolen from him at all," she said.

Mr. Tokunbo will deliver his judgement next month.

Samuels' co-accused, Troy Burgess, has already pleaded guilty to robbery and assault and been handed a two-year prison sentence.