A 24-year-old man who stole almost $2.3 million worth of gold jewellery belonging to his mother’s best friend was ordered to pay $10,000 court costs, and placed on a bond to keep the peace for two years when he appeared before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Mohammed Salim

Mohammed Salim of Munipur Street, Prashad Nagar, pleaded guilty to the charge of simple larceny when Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle read it to him.

Bibi Bacchus, 30, of 62 Prince William Street, Plaisance who was charged with receiving stolen property, pleaded not guilty.

Between June 1 and July 18, Salim stole a necklace, chain, three cricket bands, three bangles, four pairs of earrings and four gold rings, together worth $2,295,000, property of Nazema Akbar. It is alleged that on June 18, Bacchus received the jewellery, except for one gold ring, from Salim knowing the same to be stolen.

Akbar told the court that Salim is her best friend’s son and she would not be offering any evidence in the matter. According to her, she had given the jewellery to Salim’s mother to keep and the man stole the jewellery from his mother and sold it to Bacchus.

Salim admitted to the court that he had stolen the jewellery and explained that he sold it, with the exception of one gold ring, to Bacchus for $35,000.

After Akbar declined to give evidence, both accused were placed on bonds to keep the peace and were each

Bibi Bacchus

ordered to pay the court $10,000 costs.