Mark Samuels, the driver who was charged with breaking into the Health Ministry’s vaccination centre and stealing COVID-19 vaccination cards was yesterday freed after the prosecution failed to present its case against him.
Samuels, 31, appeared in a city court before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, who dismissed the charge for want of prosecution.
Samuels was charged in August, 2021 and had pleaded not guilty to a break and enter and theft charge. It was alleged that between August 22 and August 23, at Brickdam, Georgetown, he broke and entered the vaccination centre of the Ministry of Health, and stole 66 COVID-19 vaccination cards.
Samuels, who is awaiting the start of a High Court trial for another matter, was represented by attorney-at-law Dexter Smartt, who told the court that his client maintained his innocence and that the alleged stolen cards were not found on his person. According to the attorney, the man was employed at the Ministry of Health at the time that the cards were stolen.
In August, the prosecutor had told the court that the man’s crime was caught on camera. He was then remanded but later released on bail. Since then the matter had been adjourned for statements and the file to be presented to the court.
Smartt asked that the matter be dismissed since the accused was present at court on every occasion. Yesterday the Magistrate told the court that the matter is being dismissed for want of prosecution.
