Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson on Thursday remanded to prison a 31-year-old Brazilian national accused of stealing a quantity of clothing, DVDs and cosmetics from a man’s home.
Andre Farias, a computer technician, stood expressionless in the dock of the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court when the charges were read to him.
He then denied stealing the said items, valued $175,000, from Brian Allen on Monday. Farias told the court that he had come to Guyana to attend a friend’s funeral and that he had stayed here since then. He said he had been in Guyana for over a month now and that he had been residing at Allen’s 72 Campbellville home.
“I am not a thief,” he told the court. He said he had taken one pair of jeans, two pairs of socks, three T-shirts and a bottle of cologne from Allen’s home to take to Brazil. “It was a mistake and I did not intend to steal them,” Farias said, adding that he had offered Allen $45,000 in compensation for the items but that the man had refused.
Meanwhile, Allen told the court that Farias had been staying at his home for over two months and that last Wednesday he had taken him to a ceremony and soon after his camera had disappeared. He alleged that Farias had stolen the camera and that he had been seen with it by several persons after it had gone missing. Allen said he contacted the police and Farias was arrested and later released.
Allen said soon after the alleged incident Farias “went to my home and ransack the whole wardrobe.” He said the man had left the keys to the house on the bed and had disappeared for several days. Allen said a friend saw Farias and contacted him and he contacted the police who soon apprehended Farias.
Prosecutor Munilall Seetaram requested that bail be denied on the grounds that Farias might flee the jurisdiction.
The magistrate then ordered Farias to appear in Court Two on Thursday.