Man pleads guilty but maintains innocence

Jun 18, 2008 News

Confusion reigned throughout the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday when Ramchand Arjune pleaded guilty to the charges of breaking and entering and simple larceny, and at the same time told Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle that he did not steal anything.

The accused was charged with breaking and entering the house of Mark Hudson on Sunday and removing a collection of items, including a television, an electric drill, two pairs of Timberland boots, a gold ring, and an ounce of gold, among other things. The total value of the items which were apparently stolen exceeded $180,000.

According to Arjune, he saw two empty buckets in the drain near Hudson’s house and took them, since he thought that they had been discarded. Arjune said that Hudson then stopped him and told him that the buckets belonged to him (Hudson).

Arjune continued that he was then beaten by Hudson and taken into Hudson’s yard, where eight of Hudson’s friends joined in beating him.

Arjune appeared in court clutching his left side and saying that he had been badly beaten and had sustained broken ribs from the beating.

Hudson explained to the court that he received a call from his neighbours saying someone had broken into his home. He added that he caught Arjune. Hudson explained that eyewitnesses told him that they had seen Arjune enter the house.

Arjune was apprehended by public-spirited citizens and was taken to the Alberttown Police Station. This was supposedly not Arjune’s first time before the court, but he apparently gave his name as Ramcharan Arjune, not Ramchand Arjune. Sitting in the dock, Arjune said that he had never heard the name Ramcharan before.

Following all of this, and despite his repeated claims that he did not steal anything, Arjune pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle.