A security guard was yesterday sentenced to nine months imprisonment after he told a court that he did not know the items he was transporting were stolen.
Marlon Persaud, who has been convicted twice before for robbery and malicious wounding, was yesterday jailed for a break and enter and larceny charge. The sentence was handed down by Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in her Georgetown Courtroom. It is alleged that on February 4, 2020, at South Road, Lacytown, Georgetown, he broke and entered the business place of Ellie Doolall and stole an electric fan, valued $8,000 and a water dispenser, valued $45,000.
Persaud pleaded guilty ‘with explanation’ to the charge. In his explanation, he told the court that he was in dire need of money and a man offered to pay him if he helped him fetch the items mentioned in the charge. He said that due to his frustrations, he agreed he would help and receive the pay. He added that he had no knowledge of the items being stolen and that due to his situation, he did not question the ownership of the items. He further stated that while carrying the items, he heard persons shouting and approaching them. He then said that the person he was helping ran away with the water dispenser, while he was left holding the fan and unaware of the crime he had committed.
An investigating rank present in court, testified that according to information gathered, Persaud had left his work place, where he was security guard at a business place and was caught transporting the items from the workplace of the security guard he says he was helping. The officer added that Persaud was still dressed in his uniform.
The Magistrate was later informed by Persaud that the transporting of the items took place around midnight. She was also told of his previous convictions. In May of 2016, Magistrate Judy Latchman jailed Persaud for wounding Wayne Gilbert on October 2, 2015 at the Camp Street Prison. At the time he was found guilty, he had already been serving time for an armed robbery offence. That sentence was also handed down by Magistrate Latchman. In August 2012, he was jailed for 56 months after he was found guilty of robbing Melissa Samuels of a BlackBerry cell phone, a gold chain, a handbag, among other items.
After considering Persaud’s past convictions, his explanation and the fact that he was supposed to be on duty guarding other people’s property when he left to help a man remove articles from his workplace, Magistrate McGusty sentenced him for the crimes committed.
