A 41-year-old photographer was on Monday placed on $95,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle on a charge of corruptly bargaining for a reward on stolen property.
Joel Jilkes of North Ruimveldt allegedly corruptly bargained with Raemarie English at Federal Express (FedEx) in Kingston for US$200 after he was supposed to return three passports and one Certificate of Registration that were feloniously stolen from the said Fed Ex.
According to police prosecutor Denise Griffith, Jilkes had gone to the Fed Ex offices to return the items but left after vigorous arguments with English for a supposed reward. He was subsequently identified by a Fed Ex security guard in an identification parade after he was picked up and arrested by the police in relation to the missing items.
Jilkes told the magistrate that he found a package wrapped with a rubber band in a minibus. He said that out of curiosity he opened the package and saw the passports. He said that he called CARICOM and the Surinamese Embassy since the passports were issued from Paramaribo but got negative replies.
He then proceeded to call Fed Ex and was told by English that he would be given a reward for returning the items. When he appeared at the office he said that a different story was told to him and he left after giving English his name and telephone number.
The man said that after a few days some policemen showed up at his home, searching for guns and ammunition. He was then told of the passports and was arrested. Begging the magistrate to grant him reasonable bail he said that he had been in custody since last Tuesday.
The prosecution did not object to bail and Jilkes has to return to court on June 25.
