“I didn’t know I was stealing” - man tells court

“I didn’t know I was stealing” – man tells court

Sep 01, 2019 News

By Renay Sambach

A man who was charged for simple larceny and appeared in court on Friday, last, told the court that he had no idea the items he was asked to transport were stolen from the Guyana Public Service Union.

Charged: Antonio Maraj

Thirty-eight-year-old Collin Miller, of 7th Avenue Diamond, East Bank Demerara, made his court appearance before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where the charge was read to him.
Miller denied the charge that alleged on August 28, 2019, at Thomasland, Georgetown; he stole one metal door valued at $47, 000, property of Public Service Union.
Police prosecutor Sanj Singh made no objection to bail being granted to the defendant since the article was recovered.
The defendant then asked to explain to the court what happened, Miller said, “I had some problems at home so I came down to town but I had no place to go.”
“I was in Thomasland when some men approached me and asked me to deliver some items to some people; these men give me the impression that they own the articles.”
“After I delivered the first one and went back at Thomasland to pick up the other items, some police officers hold me and told me that someone report a man is stealing metal doors, I had no idea that I was stealing.”
After the defendant’s lengthy explanation, Senior Magistrate Leron Daly granted the defendant bail in the sum of $15,000, and instructed him to make his next court appearance on September 30, 2019.
Moreover, an Agricola man who was slapped with three counts of robbery under arms had two of the three charges dismissed against him when he appeared in court on Friday.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Antonio Maraj, a mason and a father of two was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court where three charges were read to him.
Maraj who was unrepresented denied the charges. The first charge alleged that on August 12, 2019, at Hadfield and Breda Street, Georgetown, while in the company of others, and armed with a gun, he robbed Mark Whittaker of $86,000, cash and a Samsung cellphone valued at $64,000.
The second charge stated that on the same date and location, while in the company of others, and armed with a gun, he robbed Tavia Daly of a cellphone valued at $80,000, a silver chain valued at $10,000, and $2,500.
The final charge stated, on August 17, 2019, at Durban Street, Work-en-rust, Georgetown, while in the company of others and armed with a gun he robbed Kester Peters of $40,000, cash, a cell phone valued at $48,000, a gold ring valued at $127,000, a knife valued at $8,000, and two flash drives valued at $4000.
Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield made objections to bail being granted to the defendant based on the seriousness of the allegation, prevalence and the fact that a gun was used in all three of the robberies.
However, the virtual complainants of the first two charges, Whittaker and Daly stepped into the witness box and under oath, they said that they would no longer want to proceed with the matter against Maraj.
Chief Magistrate McLennan dismissed the first two charges against the defendant and he was granted bail in the sum of $100, 000, on the final charge.
Maraj is expected to make his next court appearance on September 6, 2019, and he was ordered to report to the Ruimveldt Police Station everyday at 08:00hrs until the completion of the matter.

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