Four fishermen were yesterday placed on $125,000 bail each after being charged with stealing a quantity of scrap metal from BK International.
The allegation is that Stephan Allicock, 29; Alexi Gomes, 21, of 6 River View Ruimveldt, Richard Singh and Zaheer Hussein, 25, of 1 B River View Ruimveldt stole 12 tonnes of scrap metal valued at $250,000 property of BK International on March 6, at Water Street.
The quartet pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
Police Prosecutor Seon Blackman said that the defendants allegedly went to the wharf on Water Street on March 6 around 1pm and stole the scrap steel. He said the men entered from the western side and they had a boat and an engine waiting on them in the river.
Blackman said the company’s security guards were alerted by someone that thieves were on the premises and when they went to check, the men jumped into the boat and sped away.
He further stated that an alarm was raised and the police marine section chased and apprehended the men, who were identified by the security guards.
Gomes’s attorney Paul Fung-a-Fat, in his bail application, told the court that his client was in a 6 ft boat and it was impossible for the boat to have held that amount of scrap metal.
Fung-a-Fat asked that his client be admitted to bail in a reasonable sum.
When asked by the magistrate if he had any objections to bail, Blackman said he was afraid that if the defendants were granted bail they might not return to court, since they are fishermen. He also pointed out the nature of the offence and the punishment it attracts.
Blackman further told the court that the four accused were found with the stolen scrap metal.
The magistrate denied the prosecution’s request and granted the defendants bail in the sum of $125,000 each.
Their matter will be called again on April 12.
