A 30-year-old man appeared in court yesterday charged with stealing a quantity of telephone cables belonging to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) and was remanded to prison by Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle.

Sham Ramdeen of Lot 99 West Ruimveldt pleaded not guilty to a charge of malicious damage to property.

It is alleged that on June 10 at Industrial Site, Georgetown, Ramdeen unlawfully and maliciously removed a cross box valued $2.2M, property of GT&T.

Reports are that Ramdeen who said he is a garbage collector was caught burning the materials to extract the copper.

He told the court that he did not steal any cable to burn it for copper.

He said that he had come off the fish wharf and was passing through the area when he saw a fire and it was there he was held.

The matter continues on June 19.