A 36-year-old labourer of Lot 96 Campbellville Housing Scheme, Georgetown, was on Wednesday refused bail by Magistrate Annette Singh after being accused of stealing a $140,000 cellular phone.Joel Matthews pleaded not guilty to the charge of simple larceny that said on Saturday, February 14 at Campbellville Housing Scheme, Georgetown, he stole one Samsung Galaxy S4 cellular phone to the value of $140,000, belonging to Lorian Rodney.
According to the prosecution, Matthews and Rodney are known to each other and he is a regular visitor to her home. However, on the day in question around 09:00 hrs Matthews went to Rodney’s home and was asked to purchase a bag of bread for her sister-in-law.
Rodney then placed her cellular phone on top of her washing machine in her backyard and went into her house to collect some curtains to wash while Matthews left for the shop.
The facts stated that Rodney was inside her home when she heard Matthews calling for her niece. Subsequently, she made checks for cellular phone but it had vanished as well as Matthews.
Police Prosecutor Addoni Innis successfully opposed bail on the grounds of the nature and gravity of the offence.
The unrepresented man will make his next court appearance on March 9.
