Mother put on a bond for stealing bhaigans

Last week Sunday, Mohammed, 38, was arrested and charged by PC Goddard with stealing bhaigan from the gardener and yesterday, she appeared before Magistrate Margaret Alert in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court. Mohammed pleaded guilty and how she came to be arrested was outlined by the police prosecutor, Sgt Krishna Bidasie. The magistrate heard that the gardener telephoned the police that he saw three persons picking bhaigan from his garden at Massy Lands, Gasparillo, at 9 pm. Goddard responded and was further told by the gardener that the three persons were placing the bhaigan in crocus bags. The police officer went to the garden, but two of the persons escaped. Mohammed was arrested and charged with larceny, and, being found on cultivated lands. Admitting to stealing the vegetables, Mohammed said, “Boss ah tief the thing, but not me alone.” The bhaigans were valued $100.

As Mohammed stood in front the magistrate, attorney Ainsley Lucky made a plea in mitigation, saying that Mohammed works as a female janitor. Lucky’s choice of word to describe a female janitor raised eyebrows, promoting Alert to invite the attorney to employ simpler use of the English Language. The court recorded Mohammed as a “cleaner.” Lucky went on to tell Alert that hunger drove Mohammed, from Woodland, to go picking bhaigans in Gasparillo, and 27 in total, valued $100. She is a mother of one child who is 11-years old. “Her household did not have much food Your Worship. Hunger does certain things to people; cloud their judgment.” But Alert said she was unconvinced Mohammed stole the egg plant for food, and, informed her that so serious was the crime of stealing what people plant, that the penalty was a fine between $2,000 and $25,000, or, one to five years in jail. The magistrate ordered her to sign a bond of $3,000 to keep the peace for 18 months, or serve 12 months hard labour.