Scrap metal dealer Ricardo Fernandes accused of stealing two truck batteries and who claimed he was sorely beaten for the offence he has no knowledge of, was yesterday granted $50, 000 bail when the matter was heard in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
“I was in the vicinity when this man come and accuse me of stealing his battery. He tie me up and beat me. I got wounds to show. And then like they hear something else about the battery and they loose me,” an unrepresented Fernandes told the court in his application for bail.
He said however, he was subsequently re-arrested and taken to the nearby mobile police outpost.
The forty-four-year-old of Lot 611, East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme was alleged to have stolen the batteries, valued $64, 000 property of Josh Charles on July 13 at Hope Street, in the vicinity of New Thriving Restaurant.
The complainant was not present at yesterday’s hearing.
Prosecutor Collin Primus in his objection to bail, asked the court to bear in mind the price of the articles stolen, as well as the prevalence of the offence.
In addition, the prosecutor said that the defendant had not given a fixed place of abode to the police who say “he is on the road all the time”.
Fernandes denied this, telling the magistrate that since his arrest he had provided to the police the same address he had given to the court.
Overturning the prosecutor’s objection, the magistrate granted bail in the sum of $50, 000.
The matter is scheduled to continue on July 31.
