A LABOURER who is accused of stealing women’s shoes and clothing on Thursday was refused bail on a simple larceny charge, when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond.

Forty-four–year-old Sheik Mohammed Mustapha pleaded not guilty to the charge.
It is alleged that on January 18 in Georgetown, he stole three pairs of Jeanette Smith’s shoes valued at $65,000 and a quantity of her clothing valued at $15,000, totalling $80,000.
Police Prosecutor Renetta Bentham told the court that on the day in question, Smith secured the articles mentioned above in her storeroom and left for the market, leaving the suspect working in the yard.
However, upon her return, she noticed the items missing and reported the matter to the Kitty Police Station. Mustapha was subsequently arrested and charged for the offence.
Bentham noted that the defendant took some of the articles to her cousin Donna Persaud.
The prosecutor opposed bail due to the serious nature of the offence and its prevalence and the fact that the defendant has no fixed place of abode. It was also noted that the items had not been recovered.
Bail was refused and the case will be called again on January 30.