An accused man who appeared before the court for allegedly stealing $200,000 from a business place in Discovery Bay, St Ann, was remanded into custody when he appeared in the St. Ann’s Bay Resident Magistrates court last Friday, September 12. Andrew Bowers, 31, of Queenhyte in Discovery Bay, had appeared before the court earlier and pleaded guilty to taking only a portion of the money. He was remanded and the matter set for September 12. When the case was called up last Friday, the accused maintained that he was only guilty of taking $102,500. RM Thomas said the amount he has admitted to stealing was being disputed by the business owner and that the matter had to go to trial. The accused reportedly turned over $102,500 to the police. He also admitted to the court that he spent only $500 of the amount stolen. The court was told that the accused was caught on camera stealing the money.
The man had also told the court, during his earlier hearing, that he returned the money because “don men” in the community ordered him to return the stolen cash. Reports are that Bowers, a construction worker, went to a business establishment on Columbus Plaza and was conducting business when a cashier stepped away from the cash register beside which there was a bag containing cash to pay a supplier. It is reported that the bag was later discovered missing and although CCTV footage showed Bowers removing the bag, at first he denied involvement. It also came out in court that individuals reportedly saw the accused spending the money. Those people are to give statements to the police. RM Thomas has ordered that the record of the accused be checked to ascertain if he has any previous convictions. The accused said this was the first time he was getting into trouble with the law. He was remanded into custody until September 16, when the issue of bail is to be considered. The accused was unrepresented in court.
