A 53-year-old mother of three who has been accused of stealing over $300,000 in household items and beverages during a one-year period from a house which she was asked to take care of, appeared yesterday before Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle and was remanded to prison.

Bhagmanie Rodrigues of Wakenaam denied the simple larceny charge when it was read to her in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

It is alleged that between January 19 and December 27 last, Rodrigues stole a quantity of articles together valued $320,000 from Elsa Phillips.

Attorney-at-law Mohamed Zafar who spoke on Rodrigues’ behalf said that he has been instructed that there were other persons with keys to the premises. He added that his client who works at the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in Wakenaam was the caretaker of the property. In asking for reasonable bail, he said that his client does not have full access to the property and had no previous convictions. Phillips who was present said that she lives overseas and met the defendant through a friend who asked that she be allowed to stay in the home.

She said that she came back three times and it was during that period that items were discovered missing. The woman stressed that the defendant was left in the home and she had the keys.

Meanwhile prosecutor Denise Griffith said that the complainant who resides overseas is expected to leave the country shortly. She said too that if granted bail, she believes that Rodrigues will not return for her case.

Griffith said that this is a case where Rodrigues was left with the power of attorney, adding that this type of offence seems to be a new trend since only last week there was a similar matter in court. She added that in this case the defendant was the only person entrusted with the keys. The magistrate subsequently refused bail and adjourned the matter for today.