Man steals to pay for sister-in-law’s funeral

This is what he told a magistrate in San Fernando yesterday after he was arrested on the day of the “funeral” and kept in police custody which prevented him from attending.

Bachu, of Irving Street, San Fernando, was taken before Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John before whom he pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing the money from an office on Harris Street, San Fernando. The magistrate heard from prosecutor Sgt Cleyon Seedan that it was on Saturday at about 9 am when a woman, close to where Bachu works as a handyman on Harris Street, placed the money in a desk drawer in an office.

The following day at about 7 am she checked and discovered it was missing. Bachu was arrested on Harris Street by a policeman, Seedan said, and when confronted about the money he replied, “Ah really thief the money and give some of it to help with funeral. I spend the rest. Boss give me ah chance nah.” Attorney Frank Gittens who pleaded on behalf of Bachu, told Forde-John that the defendant had told him that his wife’s sister died and the funeral was on Tuesday.

He told the court that Bachu wanted to render financial support to the family to meet the funeral expenses.

Seedan said Bachu has 16 previous convictions for similar offences. Forde-John asked him if he was fortunate to attend the funeral, but Gittens said that the defendant found himself behind bars awaiting his appearance in court and therefore could not even offer condolences to his relatives.

Forde-John fined Bachu $1500 and ordered him to pay compensation of $7000. He was ordered to pay $1000 forthwith or serve six months in jail. The magistrate granted him 30 days to pay the balance.