West Coast Berbice resident Ian Fraser will be spending the next two years in jail after he admitted to stealing from his cousin.
Three indictable charges were read yesterday against Fraser, 26, of No. 41 Village, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where permission was granted by Magistrate Ann McLennan for them to be dealt with summarily.
One charge stated that on November 4 at Regent Street, Fraser allegedly stole a gold chain valued $100,000, $50,000 and a cellphone valued $20,000, which belonged to his cousin, Brian Callender.
He pleaded guilty to this charge.
Another charge stated that on the same day, Fraser stole $300,000, belonging to Mikel Rodrigues. A third charge said that during November 1 to November 4, at New Market Street, Fraser stole a small baby’s gold ring, valued $9,000 and also two cell phones, valued $90,000, which also belonged to Callender. He pleaded not guilty to these two charges.
Prosecutor Deniro Jones explained that Fraser is employed at a Regent Street store as a porter.
He said Callender rents a portion of the store to conduct business. On November 4, Jones said, Rodrigues, the proprietor of the store, asked Fraser to get some minor carpentry work done. Jones added that soon after, Rodrigues asked Fraser to purchase a bottle of rum.
Fraser never returned, according to Jones. He said that when Rodrigues checked his security camera, he saw Fraser removing the chain and other articles mentioned in the charges. A report was made to the police and Fraser was subsequently held. A search was subsequently carried out on Fraser and the chain was discovered in his pants pocket.
When asked by Magistrate McLennan whether he had anything to say about the crime he committed, Fraser, who was unrepresented by an attorney, said that he borrowed the chain from his cousin and because he didn’t return the chain on time, his cousin claimed he stole it. “Yo honour, I just de borrow the chain from my cousin and went to Berbice. I come back and went by me aunty and then I find out that he looking fuh me.
He come and both a we went in the taxi, I had on the chain but I give he back then. He then tell meh that he mek a report at the station and the taxi carry me to the station,” Fraser said.
McLennan then inquired whether his defence was that he borrowed the gold chain, and he said yes. She then inquired about the cellphone and asked him if he borrowed that too.
Fraser in response said that he did not steal the cellphone but rather he picked it up and planned on returning it.
Jones then said that the cellphone was brand new. He noted that Fraser has no prior matters that were known to the police.
Fraser was then sentenced to two years imprisonment for the theft of the phone chain and cash and remanded on the other two charges until December 5.
