A 43-year-old man whose two-month jail sentence for stealing two bunches of bananas set off a storm on social media earlier this year has been charged with possession of agricultural produce suspected of having been stolen.
On Monday, Alwin Westfield, of Rose Place, pleaded not guilty to a charge that on Friday, Nov. 23, at North River Road, Kingstown, he had in his possession 68 green mangoes, 46 limes and a quantity of ginger, reasonably suspected of being stolen or unlawfully obtained.
Westfield was granted EC$1,000 bail with one surety during his arraignment before Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court.
He was ordered to return to court on Jan. 22 for trial.
In May, Burnett jailed Westfield for two months after he pleaded guilty to stealing two bunches of bananas from a woman’s farm in Edinboro on Dec. 12, 2017.
He also has other convictions for similar crimes, including the theft of mangoes from Imani Pre-School in 2016.
The two-month sentence set off a wave of criticism on social media, with many persons saying it was too harsh for the repeat offender.
Someone that perpetually steals the fruits of someone else’s labor should be punished, and two months is nothing. I wonder why many on Social Media found it harsh? Those that did so would be outraged if it were thier produce being stolen. There is really not much opportunity for poor and unskilled people in Saint Vincent and we all know that government everywhere in the world are the biggest thiefs, especially the government of Saint Vincent, look at Customs Duty charges if you do not believe me, and that is reflected in the astronomical cost of living in Saint Vincent, but that is another topic. For this man thier is opportunity. I am sure he is able to farm for himself, and there is vacant land all over the country to do, (mainly because the cost to farm in Saint Vincent is possibly the highest on earth) so for anyone that looks for it, albeit, small pieces of land. Instead of him stealing the fruits of other people’s labor, like the Saint Vincent Government, he should farm his own product. I guess for the lazy it is so much easier after others have done the hard work, just to go and rape them of thier possessions knowing that the dumb social Media Liberals will support him.
Some of those on Social Media that seek to protect and promote criminals are a main reason why Saint Vincent has a crime problem.
Pot head produce robberies are about to increase with new laws about to be passed.
If the man just had one or two to feed himself that is one thing. But making it a business to fund strong rum and other crap, lock him up for not less than 6 months this time.
Problem is if we are not careful we will need a third prison as we are already overflowing in the other two.
The issue of predial lacenry is a big problem in St Vincent. Imagine if Ganga is legalized, then Ganga farmers would have to acquire more illegal guns to deter one Ganga farmer from stealing the Ganga of another. One raggae artist sums it up clearly. This ah war …..the prophet Bob Marley song.