A young woman accused of stealing $4M from her grandparents’ house was yesterday placed on $150,000 bail when she appeared before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The charge against 18-year-old Shabanna ‘Natasha’ Juman of 26 North East Grove, East Bank Demerara, is that between September 1 last year and February 1 this year, she stole from the dwelling house of Jairam Narine, $2M and US$10,000, equivalent to $2M, property of the said Narine, her grandfather.
Juman was not required to plead to the indictable charge of larceny from a dwelling house when it was read to her.
Counsel for the accused, Adrian Thompson, said he was confused at the overall sum, telling the court he was only aware of half the amount allegedly stolen.
Counsel told the court that during the period the alleged offence was committed, Juman was living with her grandparents at Robb Street, where other relatives were also residing at the time.
The court heard that the defendant’s relationship with her grandparents was one fraught with disputes and as a result, counsel said, this could have been the germ of the present “malicious allegation”.
It was on these grounds that he submitted an application for reasonable bail for his client.
The prosecution objected to bail, telling the court that the accused gave a caution statement which it had in its file, admitting to stealing the Guyana currency but not the US dollars.
After hearing the case the magistrate set bail at $150,000.
Juman’s next court appearance is on October 5.
