A 40-year-old labourer last week pleaded not guilty to the charge of simple larceny when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

It is alleged that on April 24 at Georgetown, Dwayne Stephenson of 23 George Street, Werk-en-Rust stole from Sharmina Denny one laptop computer valued $200,000 property of Denny.

According to Police Prosecutor Corporal Munilall Seetaram, the defendant stole the computer from the Le Rich Guest House where he would normally do odd jobs. Seetaram stated that on the day in question, the defendant went to the guest house and stole the computer from Denny who was a guest there.

The corporal explained to the court that the article was not recovered and objected to bail on the grounds that the accused has had previous brushes with the law for similar offences and argued that if granted bail there is the likelihood of the defendant repeating the offence. Seetaram stated also that Stephenson was caught stealing the laptop on the surveillance camera of the guest house.

When the magistrate asked the accused if he was aware that he had been caught on camera he replied no and added, “my Worship, neva! It can’t be me cause I din thief nothing.”

The magistrate then asked him if he would change his story if he saw the tape featuring him with the laptop and he maintained that he was innocent of the charge. He held out, “if dey play de tape it won’t be me. Cause I din do it, but I would do de time. But it won’t be me.”

The tape was not taken to court by the police but it is expected to be available when the defendant appears on May 15 in Court Two. He was remanded to prison.