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Magistrate orders SKYE programme for 20-year-old

Nov 04, 2013 News

 

After listening to the plight of a desperate 20-year-old, Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry subjected the youth to training under the USAID Skills Knowledge and Youth Employment (SKYE) Project.
Rawl DaCosta, on Tuesday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where he faced a fraudulent conversion charge, to which he pleaded guilty.
It is alleged that on October 23, at Hyme Backdam, North West District, DaCosta, being solely entrusted with 25 pennyweight of raw gold by Malita Craig to deliver to Nigel Knights, fraudulently converted almost half to his own use.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Bharat Mangru told the court that Craig handed over the gold to DaCosta so that he can deliver it to her husband. The court heard that after the youngster delivered the precious metal, the recipient recognized that the amount was short, he questioned him about the balance.
When he could not give a proper explanation, a report was made to the police station which led to the defendant being arrested and charged.
When the Magistrate enlightened the young man that the penalty attached to this offence is five years, DaCosta proceeded to explain the circumstances which led him to commit the act.
DaCosta, in open court stated, that he is a gold miner who had entered the ‘bush’ for about one week when he received word that his grandmother had passed away.
DaCosta stated he did not have enough money to purchase clothing nor pay his passage and that it was under those circumstances that he converted a portion of the gold which was entrusted to him.
DaCosta told the court that his grandmother who died in Canada will be buried in Pomeroon.
When asked by the Magistrate whether he can repay Craig, DaCosta indicated that due to the lack of finances, he cannot at the moment.
It was revealed that the young man, who had no prior convictions or charges, does not have any close relatives in this Region and as such has never been visited by anyone since his arrest.
The Chief Magistrate considered the facts of the matter which indicated that the mitigating factor outweighed the aggravated circumstances.
In addition to the SKYE programme, the youth will also have to undergo supervision by an officer of the Probation and Welfare Service of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.
She then warned the young man that if he should fail to cooperate with the aforementioned sentence, he will be imprisoned for five years.
The Magistrate called both the Probation Officer and the SKYPE coach and explained to the young man that it is imperative for him to cooperate.
The Chief Magistrate made orders for reports from the two services to be submitted to the court by November 21, which is the date DaCosta is also expected to return to the court.

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