An ex-con, who robbed unsuspecting victims, including schoolgirls whom he tricked into believing he was a teacher, will be behind bars for the next six years.
Before handing down the sentence to Mohamed Ali for three counts of simple larceny and two counts of fraudulent conversion, Magistrate Geeta Chandon-Edmond took into consideration a probation report on Ali. The report revealed that he had a troubled childhood coupled with an absence of a relationship with his mother, which still affects him. However, the welfare officer noted that a minor sentence would not be in Ali’s interest, since although he recently served a lengthy prison sentence, he resorted to crimes shortly after.
“He is already known for his behaviour. If you place him on probation, he will have to report once every week for counselling, which will be inadequate for him. He needs frequent counselling and monitoring,” the officer said, while advising the court that a long sentence will afford the defendant adequate guidance and help, which is needed for him to be re-integrated in society as functional person.
The probation report also recognised that Ali possess skills which could be nurtured and improved in prison, since the necessary help will be offered to him there.
An emotional Ali had begged the court for leniency at the previous hearing, stating various plights which resulted in him not having money to look after his girlfriend and child, whom he said needed money for urgent medical care. However, the probation report stated that no trace could be found of the child Ali claimed to have.
The magistrate told Ali that the court considers that the unambiguous plea he entered was fully understood by him and while he showed remorse, it was also proved that he had real insight into committing the acts and further the evidence proved that he carefully orchestrated, planned and premeditated his actions.
The court also noted that Ali’s victims were gullible subjects, who innocently offered to help him and he inflicted fear and created distrust in them.
He was then sentenced to two years on each simple larceny charge, which will run consecutively and he was fined $60,000 on each charge of the two fraudulent conversion, with an alternative of one year imprisonment—to run concurrently with his other sentences—on each of the charges, if he cannot pay the fine.
According to the charges, on January 12, at Woolford Avenue, Ali stole a $146,000 Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone belonging to Brandy Hazel and a $60,000 Samsung Tablet from Reyanna Abel; and on January 17, in Georgetown, he stole a gold chain and $40,000 from Raywattie Outar. As regards the charges of fraudulent conversion, on January 14, at Charlotte Street being entrusted with a cellphone valued $30,000 belonging to Nalini Rambarack to make a call, he converted the same to his own use and benefit; and on January 17, at the General Post Office (GPO) in Georgetown, being entrusted with a BLU smartphone by Latanie Ross, he converted the same to his own use and benefit.
In relation to Hazel and Abel, the police stated that on the day in question they were at the Tutorial High School when Ali approached them under the pretence of being a new teacher. He proceeded to collect the items mentioned in the charge, informing them that he was leaving for Stella Maris Primary and would return shortly.
Police said Ali approached two more of his victims separately at the GPO. Claiming he was an employee, he guided one of the women to an office and instructed her to hand over all her cash and cellphone, since she could not enter the office with them. He asked the second woman to borrow her cellphone to make a call and ran off with it. He repeated that stunt at the High Court, running off with another victim’s phone.
