Second accused in $8.9M theft from mining company gets $150,000 bail

An East Canje man was yesterday released on $150,000 bail after he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court charged with stealing over $8M worth of items from his former employer.

Daren Schultz denied the charge against him which stated that between August 17 and 18, he broke and entered the store room of Saif and Samaria El Dorado Mining Company (SSEDMC) and stole a quantity of items amounting to $8.9M in total value.

Schultz’s attorney Konyo Thompson told the court that the defendant is 33-years-old and previously worked with the virtual complainant. He is a heavy-duty vehicle operator but at the time of his arrest he was operating a mini-bus. Thompson questioned the reason for the arrest of her client since he had stopped working with the virtual complainant in July and the incident occurred in August.

She also noted that Mandela Phillips, another accused is currently before the court facing the same charge. Thompson further told the court that there is no evidence against Schultz while expressing confidence of a successful outcome in her client’s matter.

The attorney asked Magistrate Ann McLennan to grant her client bail in a reasonable sum. She also noted that he has an unblemished record.

Prosecutor Deniro Jones did not object to bail.

The matter was transferred to the Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court.

Mandela Phillips, 20, of Kuru Kuru, Linden-Soesdyke Highway was arraigned in October in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court 1, before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry for the same charge. His matter was also transferred to the Kwakwani court.