A 20-year-old labourer of Number 78 Village, Corriverton who pleaded guilty to sacrilege and two counts of break and enter and larceny was sentenced to six years imprisonment and a further penalty of six strokes.

The court heard that on September 28, Dinesh Seepersaud broke into the Number 78 Mandir and stole one 3,000 watts generator and a 1,000-ft drop cord valued $137,000.

Magistrate Chandra Sohan sentenced him to three years imprisonment along with six strokes when he appeared before him on Wednesday at the Number 51 Court.

He also admitted to breaking into the home of Alga Smith and stealing a bicycle and other articles. He was sentenced to three years for that offence. Both sentences would run concurrently.

Reports are that he broke into Smith’s home on September 6 and carried away the items. Police prosecutor, Sergeant Michael Grant told the court that Smith secured her home and retired to bed and the following morning she discovered that the items were missing.

Acting on information received, police conducted a search on Seepersaud’s house and found the bicycle.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Omar Shafeek of Little India, Corriverton was also charged with breaking into the mandir and carting off the articles. He pleaded not guilty to the offence and was remanded to prison.

Sergeant Grant informed the magistrate that on September 28 around 9 pm, Shafeek, “along with other persons” entered the building by removing about four pieces of boards.

The matter has been transferred to the Springlands Court.