Miner who stole to eat for Xmas jailed

Jan 04, 2018 Court Stories, News

JAILED: Derrick Oudkerk

A gold miner, who admitted to stealing a quantity of items from a mining camp because nothing proper was left for him to eat for the Christmas season, was yesterday jailed for 18 months by Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman.
Derrick Oudkerk, 23, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that between December 21 and 31, 2017, at St. Elizabeth Backdam, 111 Miles Mahdia, he stole a fuel pump and six pails of diesel, among other items, to the value of $245,000—property of Sherwin Grenado.
During his address to the court, Oudkerk confessed to taking the items and giving them to someone, who he says is willing to return them. When asked of his reasons for taking the items, Oudkerk told the court that he was frustrated because he had nothing to eat for Christmas.
But Grenado told the court that he bought $20,000 in groceries and left it for Oudkerk.
He stated that he had also given Oudkerk an advance of $35,000—half of his fortnightly salary.
“He get his cake and everything. Snacks and everything…the snacks are still there”, Grenado told the court.
The Police Prosecutor said that Oudkerk works in the Upper Demerara area. The prosecutor also said that between the dates mentioned in the charge, Oudkerk and others stole a quantity of heavy duty parts and groceries from the mining camp. Investigations were conducted which led to the arrest of Oudkerk.