A 37-year-old man, who pleaded guilty to stealing two bunches of plantains from a vendor, was last week fined $10,000 after he appeared before Magistrate Allan Wilson at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The court heard that on February 15 at the Ferry Stelling, Stabroek Market, Orrin Jacobs stole two bunches of plantains valued $7,500 from Omesh Persaud.
The unrepresented Jacobs pleaded guilty after the charge was read to him. When given a chance to speak the man told the court: “I went wuking fuh de man and he ain’t pay meh… He give meh some loose plantain fu sell and next day he said he want he money, so I tell he if he ain’t pay meh I going to tek de money from the plantain.”
According to the accused, contrary to what the charge stated, he did not take two bunches of plantains from the VC and he had earned only $700 from those he took to be sold. After explaining to the court the reasons for his actions, the man also pleaded for leniency and asked the magistrate to grant him a favourable ruling so that he can “get a good Mash.”
In presenting the facts Prosecutor Lionel Harvey said that the VC who has a stall at the Stelling was attending to customers when the accused whom he knows pulled out two bunches of plantain and made good his escape. As a result the VC made a report to the police and the defendant was arrested and charged. The prosecutor also stated that the accused admitted the offence when the allegation was put to him.
After listening to the facts the magistrate fined the man $10,000.
