A taxi driver charged with receiving stolen property and his sales clerk friend who was charged with simple larceny were placed on a bond to keep the peace for two years and pay court costs after the Virtual Complainant in the matter declined to proceed with the matter.
Christopher Shaw, called Chris, 27, yesterday pleaded not guilty to receiving one TV Apple Smart phone worth $63,000, property of Shelly Thom, knowing same to be stolen.
Odell Waterton, called Dookie, 21, of Lot Y Grove New Scheme, East Bank Demerara also pleaded not guilty to stealing the phone in Georgetown on January 10.
Representing Shaw, attorney-at-law Abiola Wong in her bid for bail told the court that her client resided at 1076 Section D Block X, Diamond, EBD. She said he was the driver of HB 7655 and has been friends with Waterton for more than four years. Further, she said that there was nothing to suggest to her client that the phone was stolen.
Wong told the court that her client had purchased the phone from Waterton for $20,000 which she said was a reasonable price since it was a used phone. She said when her client took the phone which was not working, he thought it had belonged to Waterton.
However, Shelly Thom, the VC, said that the phone was only ten days old. She said she and Waterton worked at the same place and when the phone went missing Waterton was the one who helped her look for the phone.
Meanwhile, Police Prosecutor, Inspector Stephen Telford told the court that the phone was recovered and he did not object to bail as it related to Shaw since his attorney’s submission was similar to his statement that he had given the police.
The men were initially placed on $50,000 bail each but after the VC said she only wanted to have her phone back the defendants were each placed on a bond to keep the peace for two years while Shaw has to pay $15,000 court costs and Waterton has to pay $20,000 court costs.