EON Forde (no address given) pleaded guilty to simple larceny yesterday but Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry changed his plea and ordered a trial after hearing him.
The allegation against the defendant is that, last March 20, he stole a bag of tomatoes amongst booty valued a total of $20,760 property of Renetta Persaud.
Forde told the court he has no fixed place of abode but is willing to take the rap although he did not steal the items.
Police Corporal Venetta Pindar, prosecuting, said the virtual complainant asked the defendant to help her fetch merchandise to her Bourda Market stall but, when they arrived there, she found some of it missing.
The magistrate enquired whether anyone gave a statement implicating the defendant but the prosecutor said he was arrested on the basis of what Persaud reported.
When the prosecutor could not say what the prosecution will do to prove the defendant’s guilt, in the absence of any eyewitness testimony, the magistrate put Forde on $25,000 bail and postponed the case to April 5.