…says he took employer’s vehicle on joyride to “show off”
A remorseful yet humorous Mark Anthony, called “Unruly Boss”, a labourer of no fixed address, appeared unrepresented before Chief Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan to answer a complaint mad by his employer, Rajiff Singh of La Penitence (Georgetown), that he had taken Singh’s motor van, GSS 1970, valued at $3.35 million, without permission, and had abandoned same on the Agricola Public Road after it had run out of gas.
Anthony pleaded guilty to the offence, and told the court that he is 24 years old with no fixed place of abode — living “all over in a lot of places”.
Anthony had previously worked with the complainant’s father in the interior, but had recently been fired. Despite being the one to have fired Anthony, Singh had taken him under his roof, as Anthony had nowhere to live when he returned to Georgetown. In return for being provided with food, clothing and shelter, Anthony was expected to lend a hand on the businessman’s premises, and had been working as a labourer for the past two months.
On Boxing Day last (December 26, 2017), Singh left his premises in care of Anthony and went to visit relatives in Kitty. However, as he was driving north along Vlissingen Road, Anthony cruised past him in motor van GSS 1970.
At a traffic light, Singh made eye contact with Anthony, causing Anthony to speed away in a nervous state. The alarmed employer then made a report to the Ruimveldt Police Station, and Anthony was subsequently arrested and detained at the Kitty Police Station. The motor van was found abandoned on the Agricola Public Road the following day.
In court, Anthony readily admitted to the offence, but said he had no intention to steal the vehicle. “I just went on a lil’ show-off drive. I didn’t intend to steal,” Anthony pleaded.
He said he was forced to abandon the vehicle after it had run out of gas, and he had given his girlfriend the keys to the vehicle for safekeeping.
The Chief Magistrate fined Anthony $30,000, with an alternative of two months in jail for default of payment.
“I will spend the two months, and I will try to behave myself,” he assured the court.
