After offering a compelling explanation for the robbery charge against him, a man who pleaded “guilty with explanation” was yesterday granted his release on bail by a city magistrate.
The charge against Kelvin Barker alleged that on December 3rd, 2018, at the Festival City Entrance, he stole a cellular phone, valued $65,000, from Andrew Douglas.
Barker, 49, initially pleaded “guilty with explanation.”
In his explanation, Barker said that a couple of days before the alleged robbery, Douglas had accidently damaged his car window. Douglas was asked to compensate him for the damage. He said Douglas agreed to do so and gave him his phone to keep as a sign of goodwill, while he took the damaged car mirror to be fixed.
However, when Douglas returned later with the car mirror, Barker said he was not satisfied because the mirror was all patched up and he didn’t want a patched up mirror. In his anger, he said, he took the phone home.
He then said that on the date of the alleged “robbery,” he made plans to meet with Douglas at the Festival City Entrance to settle the matter.
However, while he was waiting there, he said Douglas and two policemen approached him and told him that he was under arrest for stealing Douglas’ phone. He said he gave back Douglas his phone and was taken to the police station and locked up. He was given no chance to explain himself. He added that he later found out that Douglas was an ex-policeman.
After hearing this, Magistrate Fabayo Azore said than a not guilty plea would be entered for him. The prosecutor said he had no objection to bail and Barker was granted his release on $10,000 bail. The matter was adjourned until January 21st, 2019.
