Forty-seven-year-old Anand Bhola of South Section, Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara (WBD) is facing charges alleging that he committed at least two break-and-enter-and-larceny offences in his neighbourbood, involving the sum of $564,000.
The carpenter, who is also a father of two, appeared at the Wales Magistrate’s Court last Thursday, where he denied the two allegations of stolen property.
The first charge detailed that Bhola, between January 3 and 4, 2018, at South Section, Canal Number Two, broke and entered the premises of Lakeraji Ramdyall and stole items amounting to $185,000.
Ramdyall’s property included a spray can, one bottle of poison and a weeding machine among a host of other items. Represented by attorney-at-law Paul Fung-A-Fat, Bhola entered a not-guilty plea.
The defendant was further accused of breaking and entering the dwelling house of North Section, Canal Number Two resident Mohammed Rasheed, where he allegedly stole property amounting to $379,000. This included a laptop computer and two power drills. Bhola similarly entered a not-guilty plea.
Bhola admitted to Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool that he faced a similar charge before, but claimed that the charge was dismissed. The Police prosecution stressed that the accused has matters pending, and highlighted that he was previously convicted. However, Bhola was given the benefit of the doubt, as the prosecution did not present evidence of the supposed conviction.
The prosecution was disallowed from entering two separate charges which were determined to be out-of-date. Though the Magistrate granted the accused thief $160,000 bail pending trial for the substantive matters, she ordered that he report to the Officer-in-Charge of the Wales Police Station every Friday at 15:00h.
Liverpool adjourned the matter to June 7, 2018 for statements and fixture.
Police were also ordered to return the items recovered which were allegedly stolen.
