Serial burglary accused remanded after Xmas weekend break-in

A Bartica man already on bail for a number of break-ins was remanded to prison on Tuesday, after he was charged with breaking into a businessman’s property and stealing a quantity of cash and items.

Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry remanded Paul McKenzie, after being told that he had several pending matters of a similar nature.

McKenzie is alleged to have broken into and entered the business place of Abzal Rahaman and removed a quantity of jewellery, a jewellery scale and cash, totalling $296,000. The break in was committed between December 26 and December 27, at Bartica.

McKenzie, a miner, denied the charge of break and enter and larceny.
Prosecutor Stephen Telford said Rahaman had secured his business and gone out. When Rahaman returned, he realised that the building had been broken into and the items mentioned in the charge were missing. According to Telford, after a search was conducted, McKenzie was later apprehended by public-spirited persons and the police with the articles in his possession.

Telford objected to bail, stating that McKenzie had pending matters for which he was placed on bail.
After bail was denied, the case was transferred to the Bartica Magistrates’ Court for statements on January 5.