Reoffender freed after compensating victim in gold chain snatching case
William Goodasaul, a 22-year-old man with a history of robbery convictions, was freed on Friday after fully compensating his victim in a gold -chain -snatching case.
Goodasaul, a resident of 494 ‘C’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, had been remanded to prison after being charged with larceny for allegedly snatching a gold chain valued at $250,000 from Kellyann Kyte on February 4 at Campbell Street, Georgetown.
During his previous court appearance, he had pleaded not guilty but expressed his willingness to settle the matter by repaying the victim. However, when given the opportunity to do so, he failed to secure the funds in time.
On Friday, Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty reminded Goodasaul that he had previously promised to compensate Kyte and asked whether he had followed through. Goodasaul explained that his family had already paid $200,000 to Kyte and that only the remaining $50,000 was outstanding.
William Goodasaul
The magistrate twice called on his family members to confirm the payment, but they were absent. The matter was stood down to allow Goodasaul time to contact them. After a delay, a family member eventually appeared in court and handed over the remaining $50,000 to Kyte.
Kyte, after counting the funds confirmed to the magistrate that she had already received $200,000 and that the final payment of $50,000 had been made in court. With the full amount repaid, the magistrate dismissed the case, and Goodasaul was freed.
Goodasaul, who is no stranger to the justice system, had been accused of working alongside an accomplice on a motorcycle to snatch Kyte’s gold chain before fleeing, leaving the motorcycle behind. Kyte immediately contacted the police, leading to Goodasaul’s arrest, with the stolen chain allegedly found in his possession.
During their initial court appearance, Magistrate McGusty had asked Kyte whether she was willing to accept either the chain or the full value in cash, and she agreed. After hearing this Goodasaul begged for bail, explaining that he needed to be released in order to obtain the funds, but the magistrate denied his request.
Goodasaul then asked for a week to make another attempt, again insisting that with another phone call, he could settle the matter.
However, the prosecution strongly objected to bail, highlighting the seriousness of the offence and the fact that the stolen chain had been found in his possession.
This was not Goodasaul’s first brush with the law. In 2023, at the age of 20, he was charged with robbing a policeman of a gold chain valued at $150,000 while in the company of an accomplice. The robbery involved an assault on the victim before the chain was stolen, and the perpetrators fled on a motor scooter, driven by Goodasaul.
He was later identified and arrested. At the time, he was already on bail for a separate robbery charge but had failed to report to the police as required.
In addition to that offence, Goodasaul had recently served six months in prison for a similar crime.