Three St Ann men charged for simple larceny were granted bail when they appeared before the St Ann Parish Court on Wednesday May 10.
Charged are 24-year-old Devar Williams, 18-year-old Tom Brown and 19-year-old Ken James.
Allegations are that on three different occasions between April 19 and 28, the three men stole some items from a St Ann, Chinese run business place. The items included a large quantity of phone cards, cigarettes and cash valued at approximately J$1.6 Million.
According to the investigating officer in the case, Williams and Brown were employees at the business place. He also told the court that video evidence from surveillance footage clearly shows that James was “used” to carry out the act. He says James can be seen retrieving the items and handing them to the other men. He also concluded that they “used” James, since the business owner would not have been familiar with him.
The investigating officer also told the court that the business owner is demanding the money that was taken and has expressed how disappointed he is with Williams and Brown and that they (business owner and the employees) “shared a very good relationship”. Some J$ 200,000 was recovered and the officer believes the men are able to say where another portion of the money can be recovered, “I don’t believe they could spend so much money in so little time,” he said.
The investigating officer did not oppose bail and bail was granted in the sum of J$200,000.
James’ mother who was in court on Thursday is suffering from ill health and has had two different episodes of stroke.
His grandmother also came.
The parent(s) for the other accused men were also present and were allowed to use their identification to bail the accused men. The men were warned that their parents (sureties) will be arrested if they fail to appear in court on the set dates.
Browns’ parent took on the responsibility of bailing James as his mother, in her current state and his grandmother, at her age, were not able to.
In tears, James’ grandmother said “*Ken know betta, him know wrong from right”.
His mother too, expressed her frustration, “a nuh court mi come, a doctor mi come,” she said.
Parish judge Vaughn Facey highlighted “the pain” the men caused their parents and attached conditions to their bails.
The men should not go to the business place and they were placed under house arrest, except for those hours when Brown and James attend school.
The matter is set for mention in the said court on June 6.
*Tom Brown and Ken James are not the actual names of the accused. They cannot be identified as they are juveniles and still in school.
