The owner of a taxi service was yesterday freed by a city magistrate, who had read him a charge of receiving stolen rims, after the complainant told the court that the act was common practice among taxi operators.
“I don’t wish to proceed with the matter, because how the defendant received the rims is a common practice among taxi drivers,” were the words spoken by Jermaine Blackman, the complainant in the matter against Paul Marville of Ambitious Cabs.
Moments earlier, Magistrate Judy Latchman had read a charge to Marville which stated that between April 1 and April 30, at Norton Street, Georgetown, he received four rims, valued at $120,000, property of Blackman, knowing same to be stolen.
Marville, of Lot 3 Industry Crown Dam denied the allegation.
Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves made no objection to bail being granted. However, before bail was set, the complainant indicated that he no longer wished to proceed with the matter.
As a result, Blackman was placed into the witness box, where he gave a sworn statement that he was neither forced nor threatened to drop the matter, and that the decision was of his own free will.
