Richard Kanhai, head of the Strategic Action Security firm, was yesterday charged with receiving a stolen HAIER laptop belonging to the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) project.
Kanhai, 58, was yesterday placed on $100,000 bail after he was arraigned on the indictable charge, to which he was not required to plead.
Prosecutor Bharat Mangru told Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry that the item, valued $51,000, was received by the businessman.
The charge stated that between June 19 and July 27, Kanhai received the laptop knowing it was stolen or unlawfully obtained.
According to attorney Euclin Gomes, who represented the accused, his client had been in court for other matters “touching and concerning” this same matter and has been attending all the hearings.
As a result, Gomes requested bail. No objection was made by the prosecutor. Bail was set at $100, 000 and the case will be called again September 13.
About a month ago, an operation by police led them to the Queenstown office of Kanhai’s security firm, where several stolen articles, including four laptops and other electronic devices, were found.
Police searched the property after receiving tips from persons that items stolen from a number of villages on the West Coast of Demerara were sold to an official of the company and that some of the items were in storage at the Queenstown office.
A plough was also among the stolen items. However, last week Friday charges against Kanhai pertaining to the plough were dismissed when he appeared before Vreed-en-Hoop Court Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo.
It was alleged that Kanhai received a farming plough, which was the property of farmer Edward Persaud. Persaud informed the state that he did not wish offer evidence against the accused.
The recovered OLPF computer is believed to have been stolen from the project’s warehouse in Forshaw Street, Queenstown, a few corners away from Strategic Action Security’s head office.
