A father of five who is alleged to have stolen $3M in raw gold was yesterday admitted to bail in the sum of $50,000 when he appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
The allegation is that between August 8 and 9 at Essequibo, William Roberts, 36, of Catherine Village, Mahaicony, stole 16 ounces of raw gold valued $3.2M, property of Jainarine Ragobeer.
The 36-year-old gold miner was not required to plead to the indictable charge when it was read to him by the magistrate.
The attorney who represented the accused made an application for his client to be granted reasonable bail on the grounds that he poses no risk of flight, has no previous convictions, has a fixed place of abode and has been cooperating with the police in their investigations.
The virtual complainant was not present at court.
The prosecution had no objection to the bail application made by the lawyer.
Roberts was later placed on $50,000 bail. His matter was transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court for September 29.