Construction worker slapped with larceny charge, remanded

A Vryheids Lust, East Coast Demerara (ECD), construction worker was on Wednesday remanded to prison after being charged with larceny in relation to the theft of a Samsung smartphone.

Johnathan Mohamed appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
It is alleged that on August 10, 2025, at Houston Village, East Bank Demerara, the 35-year-old man stole a Samsung smartphone valued at $150,000, the property of Karen Gorden.
The prosecution objected to bail, contending that Mohamed is a flight risk and had been evading police after being informed of the allegation.
According to the prosecutor, on August 10, 2025, Gordon was at a snackette when she last saw her phone on the dashboard of a vehicle. Shortly after noticing that the phone was missing, approximately five minutes later, she received a message from Mohamed.
While attempting to recover her phone, Gorden said Mohamed told her that he had found the device on the ground. She told the court that she even offered to pay him for its return. However, she alleged that Mohamed denied stealing the phone, reportedly telling her, “Me is a Indian and me nah want no black man accuse me of stealing no phone.”
Gorden further testified that she made several attempts, including with the assistance of family members, to meet with Mohamed to retrieve the phone. She said he provided various locations and arranged meetings at odd hours but failed to show up when she arrived.
The complainant also told the court that Mohamed accessed her TikTok account, logged her out, and subsequently used the account to send messages to her, repeatedly asking for a relationship. She said Mohamed questioned whether she was too young for her, and later began sending explicit photographs of his genital area using the stolen phone.
Gorden said the constant messaging became unbearable and disrespectful. She told the court that she even asked Mohamed to return at least the SIM card and memory card, explaining that important personal data was stored on them. Although Mohamed initially claimed he would return the items, he allegedly failed to do so. She further alleged that Mohamed later told her he had sold the phone and attempted to offer the SIM and memory cards instead.
The complainant stated that the harassment continued until November, despite a report being made to the police. She told the court that she was ultimately forced to assist law enforcement by providing Mohamed’s location, which led to his arrest.
In her ruling, Magistrate McGusty denied bail, citing concerns that Mohamed may abscond if released. The Magistrate also noted that there may be additional offences arising from the accused’s alleged conduct and instructed the prosecution to investigate whether similar complaints exist against him.
The matter was adjourned to January 28.