Three Lethem men were yesterday read a joint charge over the theft of four cows, one of which was butchered by one of them.
Quason Frank, 20, Curtis Charles, 18, and Ivor Rodrigues, 28, stood before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in Georgetown, where they were read a charge that stated that between August 21 and August 24, at Lethem, Central Rupununi, they stole four heifers, valued at $480,000 and which were the property of Walter Martin.
While both Charles and Rodrigues pleaded not guilty, Frank pleaded guilty with explanation. Frank said that one of his friends showed him the cows but he never stole them. He mentioned that the other two men were innocent of the charge against them. As a result of Frank’s explanation, his plea was changed to not guilty.
Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore said Martin had secured his cows and subsequently discovered that they were gone. Checks were then made by him and based on information received, he contacted Frank, a farmer.
Moore went on to state that Frank admitted to being part of the crime and took Martin into an area where three of the heifers were tied up. The matter was reported and the police later went and retrieved the animals and the accused were also arrested.
Attorney Tiffany Jeffers, who represented Charles, a mason, and Rodrigues, a cow brander, requested that her clients be granted bail.
Moore, however, objected to bail being granted to the men, while noting that they were well known to the police in the area. The prosecutor added that Charles has been fingered in a number of robberies but there has never been enough evidence to charge him.
Moore told the court that three of the stolen cows were recovered and that Rodrigues had already slaughtered the fourth and gotten rid of the carcass. If granted bail, he said, the men would not return to court.
Chief Magistrate McLennan subsequently granted each defendant his release on $60,000 bail, with the condition that he report every Friday to the Lethem Police Station.
The matter was then adjourned until September 5, when it will be called at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court.
