TWO Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) contractors attached to Linden was on Thursday placed on $75,000 bail each when they appeared before City Magistrate Ann McLennan accused of stealing a quantity of iron pipes.Curtis Reid, a canter driver of 2208 Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden and Royston Peters, 36, of Lot 286 Amelia’s Ward, Linden, both contracted workers employed by GWI, were slapped with the charge that read on July 13 and August 03 at Central Amelia’s Ward Linden, they stole from Kevin Barron 172 15-foot two-inch iron pipes, property of GWI.
The duo was charged indictably but the prosecutor Deniro Jones requested that the Administration of Justice Act (AJA) be applied, whereby they both pleaded not guilty.
Reid’s lawyer explained that her client was innocently charged. In her defense she said that Raid, a hire-canter driver, works for Barron to transport pipes and on the days in question he was ordered by someone employed by the said complainant to transport pipes. The lawyer said further that her client’s job is to transport materials but he was framed. However, he aided the police in their investigations and showed them the location where he was told to deposit the said pipes.
Peters, who was unrepresented, had his bail application objected to by the prosecutor after the court heard that he gave the police a conflicting address of Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara. The prosecutor further noted that only 38 of the said 172 pipes were recovered.
The defendants were released on bail and ordered to report to the Amelia Ward Police Station every Monday. The matter was transferred to Linden Magistrate’s Court for August 19.