Nineteen-year-old Rhema Seonarine of Enmore, East Coast Demerara, was yesterday remanded to prison shortly after she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing over $5.3 million in gold and diamond jewellery from Steve’s Jewellery.

The teen pleaded not guilty to a simple larceny charge when it was read to her by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson that stated that she stole over $5.3 million in gold and diamond jewellery, the property of Stephen Narine, on September 4.

The teen’s lawyer, Sase Gunraj, applied for reasonable bail for her on the grounds that she posed no risk of flight and her family had already recompensed Narine with some of the money for the jewellery.

However Police Prosecutor Sergeant Kevin London objected to the bail application on the grounds of the seriousness of the offence and that Seonarine may not return to court because of the harsh penalty attached to the charge if she is convicted.

He said Seonarine’s family members had recompensed Narine with $1.35 million and the rest is expected to be paid in full shortly.

The magistrate subsequently ordered that Seonarine be remanded to prison and that she return to court on September 15.