A man who yesterday pleaded guilty at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court to stealing money from his sister, will spend the next nine months in prison.
Isaiah Reddy, of Lot 41 Norton Street, Georgetown, appeared yesterday before Magistrate Leron Daly to answer to a charge of break and enter and larceny.
It is alleged that on Thursday May 18, at Norton Street, Georgetown, the defendant broke and entered the apartment of Orpha Reddy and stole $200,000.
The court heard that the virtual complainant (VC) and the accused are siblings and are living downstairs in a two-storey building in separate apartments. The virtual complainant’s mother resides upstairs and it is a regular habit for the defendant to break and enter the apartment and steal and gamble.
On the date in question, at about 8.00 hours, the VC secured her apartment and went to work. At about 12.00 hours the same day, the accused turned himself in at the Alberttown Police Station and told the police that he had broken into his sister’s apartment, stolen $150,000, and gambled the money out. The police promptly informed the VC who was at work. She returned home to discover that her back door was open and the cash mentioned in the charge was missing. The money was on a cupboard in the kitchen. As such, she reported the matter to the police. The accused was told of the report and cautioned and he admitted to the crime. He was then placed into police custody.
Magistrate Daly asked the defendant why he had stolen his sister’s money and how he would be able to repay her. He responded by saying, “I had to use the money to look after my daughter and I can get my child mother to pay back the money, she can have $100,000 by tomorrow the latest.”
In court, the defendant’s sister Orpha, mentioned that the accused had been in the habit of stealing money from their home for about five years now, “He usually steal anything that he come across. From microwave, to stove, gas bottles, money, anything, and just recently he stole $260,000 from our father about one month ago.” She added, “He would always steal the money because he is a gambler and he needs help, he even stole his own daughter school fee money to gamble. As much as I don’t want my brother to go to jail, I am a single parent and it is hard on me so he has to face the consequences.”
Magistrate Daly sentenced the accused to nine months imprisonment for the offence.
