Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldier Miguel Cort was yesterday remanded to prison after he was charged with receiving a stolen car. The alleged car thief Ekwensie Langhorne was also remanded.
Langhorne, 26, pleaded not guilty to the larceny charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
It is alleged that on January 11, at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD), Langhorne stole a Toyota Allion motor car valued $3,200,000, a drilling machine valued $30,000, a spanner set valued $18,000, a Nikon camera valued $35,000, a quantity of tools valued $80,000, $30,000, along with other items all totalling $3,601,000, property of Dindiyal Sukhoo.
Langhorne’s attorney Adrian Thompson told the court that his client posses no risk of flight since he has a fixed place of abode at Lot 30 Enterprise, ECD. He added that Langhorne was told of the offence in February and he had been placed on $40,000 station bail.
Thompson said his client had an unblemished record, had been fully cooperating with the police and was willing to lodge his passport with the police although it had expired. He stated that Langhorne is a church musician and his mother is a pastor. The prosecutor, Police Sergeant Vishnu Hunt objected to bail on the grounds that the defendant had no fixed place of abode.
He stated that Langhorne had given the investigating ranks an address in Good Hope. He also pointed out the penalty attached to such an offence and the quantum involved in the charge.
Counsel argued that the address that his client had given to the investigating ranks was his mother’s address; he said that since the incident Langhorne had been living with his father in Enterprise.
Langhorne was subsequently remanded to prison.
His matter will continue on May 8.
In the related case, Cort, 27, denied the allegation which stated that between April 11 and April 26, at Georgetown he received a Toyota Allion valued $3,200,000, property of Dindiyal Sukhoo, knowing same to have been stolen.
He was unrepresented by an attorney.
Hunt objected to bail citing the penalty attached to such an offence. He also pointed out the value of the car and also added that Cort is a serving member of the GDF and there is a likelihood that he might tamper with the prosecution’s witnesses.
Magistrate Latchman remanded him and ordered that he make his next court appearance on May 8 for statements.
