TWO MINERS accused of stealing 11 pennyweights of raw gold from a dredge owner were on Monday placed on $15,000 bail each by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan .Markey Williams, 19 of Kamarang Village and O’Neil Melbourne, 20 of La Grange, West Bank Demerara, both pleaded not guilty to the joint charge of simple larceny.
Particulars of the charge alleged that the duo on January 9, at Kaikan Backdam, Cuyuni River, stole a magic mat valued $100,000 along with 11 pennyweights of raw gold valued $110,000 property of Edwin Bess.
According to the prosecutor Deniro Jones, the items were recovered at Crabwood Backdam, in Kaikan. Jones further pointed out that the dredge owner had signaled to the officers that he did not wish to proceed with the matter.
The Chief Magistrate subsequently placed the men on bail and bonded them on good behavior. The matter is transferred to the Kamarang Magistrate Court for March 21.
Last Friday, three gold miners accused of stealing four and a half pennyweights of raw gold from their employer were put on $50,000 bail by the Chief Magistrate.
The men: Steve James, 25, of Charles Housing Scheme, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara; Shemmy Bernard, 19, and Junior Bascom, 23, both of St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, are accused of stealing four-and-a-half pennyweights of raw gold from Prince Bowman on January 11, at Arangoy Backdam, Cuyuni River. The matter was transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.