-granted $50,000 bail pending probation report

TWENTY-YEAR-OLD Tyrone Cort of Manchester Village, Corentyne Coast Berbice, a trainee at the Felix Austin Police College, appeared on Thursday before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and admitted that he had stolen his colleague Jermaine Humphrey’s Samsung Galaxy cellular phone, valued at $53,000, between August 3 and 4.Police prosecutor Michael Grant said the defendant and the virtual complainant (VC) are both presently undergoing training at the Felix Austin Police College at Adventure Village, Corentyne.

On the day in question, the VC fell asleep, and woke up to find that his cellular phone was missing. He reported the matter and investigations were conducted.

The cellular phone was traced to a female, who was later contacted. She told the police that the phone was given to her by the defendant.
Further investigations were carried out, and during questioning Cort admitted stealing the phone and giving it to the female to keep.
The prosecutor did not object to bail. The court was told that the defendant has been a trainee police officer for five months.
Asked by the Chief Magistrate if he had anything to say, Cort shook his head to indicate no.
However, a few minutes later, he told the court that he did steal the phone and had given it to the female, and her brother was to collect it.

The Chief Magistrate asked the defendant why he did something like that to jeopardise his entire police career, but a dejected Cort did not respond.

The defendant was ordered to report to the Whim Police Station every fortnight commencing on August 15. He was placed on $50,000 bail, pending a probation report and sentencing, and will return to court on September 19 for the probation report and sentencing.