POLICE Special Constable Dennison Benjamin has been jailed for stealing from the Palmyra, Corentyne home of Magistrate Chandra Sohan. The prisoner pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a total of four years and six months imprisonment for the theft.

The ex-Police Constable had been on duty at the residence when the maid, Hemwattie Beharry reported to the magistrate’s wife, Chandrawattie Sohan, that US$20 was missing from her bag that she had left on a table under the house.

On July 23 last, Beharry said she had five US$10 notes in her purse and, on report for work that morning, had told the convict that her bag had money.

However, as she prepared to leave at 14:00 h that day, she checked for the cash and discovered that two of the US$10 bills were missing.

The woman said she enquired of Benjamin, if he knew who might have taken the money and he confessed to being the thief and promised to repay the amount.

But the larceny was reported and, when a party headed by Detective Corporal Darmendra Indarpaul, went to Benjamin’s home New Street, Cumberland, East Canje home Benjamin, they found a ‘Canon’ camera, which was stolen from the magistrate’s home last April 28 and a DVD player that was removed from the Sohans’ computer room on July 3.

At Reliance Court, also in Canje, Benjamin was charged on three counts of larceny from the dwelling house and he told Magistrate Geeta Chandan Persid Edmond that he was sorry for what he did.

The magistrate explained to the convict that she would not extend mercy to him because she, too, was a victim of similar circumstances.