A 44-year-old father of seven was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment on Monday when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with breaking and entering a restaurant and stealing several cases of beverages and other items.
Clive Welcome of Lot 5 First Street, Bartica pleaded guilty with an explanation to the charges of break and enter and larceny when Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson read them to him.
Welcome was accused of breaking and entering the restaurant of José Shewy at Lot 29 Second Avenue, Bartica and stealing six cases of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, a blender and several other items totaling $73,200.
In his explanation to the court, Welcome stated that on the day he was on his way home when he observed a bag on the ground in front of the restaurant. He said when he checked its contents he found three cases of drinks. “Well I see something that I coulda mek a lil money offa suh I pick up de bag and tek it away.”
He said he sold the drinks for $2,500 to another man.
However, Police Prosecutor Munilall Seetaram stated that on the day in question Welcome was seen by neighbours breaking into the restaurant. The matter was reported to the police station and Welcome was arrested.
Seetaram said Welcome took the police to the person to whom he had sold the drinks.
Welcome then pleaded with the magistrate to show leniency, “Ow yuh worship ah gah seven chirren, please gimme a lil six months,” he said as the magistrate told him that he could be jailed for up to six years for the offence. “Dem get back de three cases ah drinks,” he added.
Meanwhile, the police told the court that only two cases of drinks were uplifted and Welcome may have used up the rest.
The magistrate subsequently sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment.
