Businessman Clayton Hutson was yesterday admitted to bail in the sum of $50,000, after denying a charge that he stole a pair of motor clamps belonging to the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
It was alleged that between December 11 and December 12, at Georgetown, Hutson, of 50 New Hope, East Bank Demerara, stole two motor clamps, valued $80,000, and the property of the GPF.
The auto parts dealer was arraigned on a charge of simple larceny at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded not guilty when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
The clamps are devices used by the GPF for rendering vehicles parked on no-parking signs immovable.
Prosecutor Stephen Telford told the court that the “facts are as charged” and no additional details were made known to the court as to what had transpired during the periods mentioned in the charge.
Attorney Vic Puran, who represented Hutson, said police had no evidence in their file or otherwise against his client and that the charge was baseless and trumped up. According to Puran, the lawmen had no witnesses that could show that his client removed the clamps.
Puran also said Hutson offered to pay the police for the items, since he “just wanted to end the matter in an attempt to avoid the frustrating process of the court system.” However, the lawyer noted that the police informed Hutson that the matter needed to engage the attention of the court and that monetary compensation would not have been accepted. The lawyer then made an application for his client to be sent on his own recognizance on the grounds that he had no antecedents, posed no risk of flight, had a fixed address and had been cooperating with the police.
Telford had no objection to bail and the Magistrate set the sum at $50,000 and ordered Hutson to return to court on January 10.
