Two men were yesterday remanded to prison after being arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on a larceny charge of items in excess of $1 million.
The charge against Kingsley Wickham, 49, and David Lynch, 37, is that on August 30 at Georgetown they stole from motor car PNN 7596 US$2,500, one Apple iPad, one Apple laptop, one charger, four remote controls, one silver Movado wristwatch, one haversack and one backup power system all totalling $1,344,000, property of Clive Prince.
It is also alleged that on the same day, the jointly-charged duo unlawfully and maliciously damaged one right side back passenger quarter glass valued $100,000 on the said vehicle belonging to Goolcharran Persaud.
The men denied the charges when they were read to them by Magistrate Judy Latchman.
They were both unrepresented by counsel.
Lynch, of 7310 Diamond Housing Scheme began to explain to the court that he knew nothing about the charges levelled against him.
According to Lynch, Wickham had merely contacted and given him a computer. Lynch said he later sold the computer to someone.
At this point, the court cautioned Lynch against saying anything else which could further implicate him and place him in “more hot water,” than he was already in. Magistrate Latchman explained to him that the choice was his if he wanted to continue speaking, but cautioned him that he had entered not-guilty pleas to the charges and therefore should elect to remain silent at this point of the proceedings, since what he said could be used against him during the trial.
Lynch’s relatives, who were seated in the public gallery, then began whispering to him: “Boy shut-up. Shut yuh mouth.”
Later, making a bail application on his own behalf, Lynch said he has six children and is the sole breadwinner of his household.
Meanwhile, Wickham, a labourer of the East La Penitence Squatting Area, who said he smokes, mumbled: “I see a bag at de burial ground side with these things in it.”
No other facts were presented in court.
Prosecutor Michael Grant objected to the men being granted their pretrial liberty citing the nature, gravity, seriousness and prevalence of the offence.
He also asked the court to take into consideration the quantum of the alleged stolen items.
Wickham and Lynch were subsequently informed that they would be remanded to prison until September 23 when they would appear before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at Court One.
