Vendor remanded on chain snatching charge

A vendor, who said that he was wrongfully arrested by the police, was yesterday remanded to prison on a charge of simple larceny when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Wayne Brown, of Lot 57 Robb Street, pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleges that on May 26, 2013, at Water Street, he stole a gold chain with pendant, valued $75,000, from Mohini Ramcharan.

Brown told the court that on the day in question, he was pushing his cart to the Route 42 bus park when two police officers came up to him and told him that he had just robbed someone. With tears in his eyes, he told the magistrate that he did not rob anyone and he was just going about his day’s work. He added that when the police took him to the woman, she just looked at him and said that he was the person that robbed her.

“Me worship, I was under the [Stabroek Market] clock. They say how the robbery happen in the bazaar and I was under the clock…. They ain’t find no phone on me,” Brown said.

Prosecutor Vishnu Hunte objected to bail on the grounds that if bail is granted, Brown will not return to court.
The magistrate subsequently refused bail and fixed the next hearing for June 20, when statements are expected to be filed.