“I ain’t want ya put me on bail,” were the words of break and enter accused Dexter Burnham to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after telling her that he was threatened by a city policeman.
Burnham initially pleaded guilty to a charge that on July 7th, at Bourda Market, he broke and entered the stall of Landranie Sookwah and stole four bags of groceries valued at $116,000.
Burnham then explained to the magistrate that he only pleaded guilty because he was told to do so by the investigating city police officer, who also threatened that if he did not he would be dealt with.
The accused added that he didn’t break into the stall but was instructed to carry away items by city constabulary officers. Burnham claimed that it is the city officers who break into stalls and pay “smokers,” like him, to take away the items and sell them.
Having heard from the accused, the Chief Magistrate changed his plea to not guilty. Prosecutor Devon Goodman was then ordered to report the information to his superiors given the seriousness of it and to have an investigation done. Goodman is expected to report on the matter during the next hearing.
Goodman had stated that the complainant secured her stall and went home and around 2.55 am on July 7th, an eyewitness saw the defendant breaking and entering Sookwah’s stall. He then alerted the Bourda Outpost of the City Constabulary, which resulted in Burnham being arrested.
The prosecutor, who objected to bail, noted that Burnham was previously sentenced to 12 months behind bars for a similar offence and two six-month jail terms for simple larceny.
Prior to the Chief Magistrate McLennan adjourning the matter, the accused told her he did not want her to grant him his release. He was subsequently remanded to prison for his safety and the matter was adjourned until July 19.
