Magistrate Sueanna Lovell yesterday discharged the case against a 25-year-old man accused of stealing his father’s licensed shotgun, after the man declined to give evidence against him.
Lionel DaSilva, through his attorney Adrian Thompson, told the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court that he did not wish to give evidence against his son Christopher DaSilva because the young man suffers from an ailment. After listening to his submission, the magistrate inquired about a medical certificate which was subsequently presented to the court.
The court heard that on November 19 at Georgetown, Christopher DaSilva, stole a 12-gauge shotgun valued $150,000 from Lionel DaSilva. The accused pleaded not guilty. Further, he told the court, “I took the gun to show two of my friends…I left and went up stairs and they had the gun at the time but when I returned I noticed that they had left my home and the gun was not there. I accompanied my dad and a police officer to my friends’ home but they were not there at the time but when I was in the lock up I was told that the article was recovered in Sophia.”
Prosecutor Luckhai Jairam told the court that on November 14, the VC secured the gun in his bedroom. On November 19, a taxi driver came to his home, presented him with the weapon and told him that he had found it in his car. As a result, the VC made checks in his bedroom and subsequently discovered that the gun was not there. He reported the matter to the police station. The prosecutor informed the court that the article had been recovered.
Magistrate Lovell stressed to the father and son that they have been bonded to keep the peace for six months.
When he made his first appearance in Court One before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, Christopher DaSilva had been granted $250,000 bail.
