A labourer accused of stealing a tarpaulin from his employer told a court yesterday that the item belonged to him and he repossessed it because he was not paid for work.
Wendell Fresco was remanded to prison when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on a charge of simple larceny.
The allegation against Fresco is that on December 13, at Georgetown, he stole the tarpaulin, valued $65,000. The court was told that the item was the property of Baburam Doodnauth.
Fresco pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Prosecutor Stephen Telford told the court that the tarpaulin was used by Doodnauth to cover a number of plants in his yard and Fresco removed it. According to Telford, Fresco worked as a labourer for Doodnauth, who raised an alarm after the theft, resulting in the man’s arrest. Telford added that Fresco admitted to committing the offence.
Fresco, however, contended that the tarpaulin was his and he removed it because Doodnauth had failed to pay him for work done. He argued that it was unfair to charge him, since he is the owner of the item.
Telford objected to bail, on the grounds that Fresco has a pending matter of a similar nature.
The unrepresented Fresco was remanded to prison until January 11, when the case will be called for statements.
