Lawyer Jomo Thomas, on Thursday, paid EC$38.13 in compensation on behalf of a 66-year-old man who stole five bags of pigtail from a mini mart in Kingstown the previous day.
Thomas also represented the man, Elias Lawrence, of Questelles, who he told the court had minor offences with the law.
Lawrence appeared before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne, charged that on Wednesday, he entered Coreas Food Mart on Lower Bay Street and stole five bags of pig tail, amounting to 3.42lbs, valued at EC$38.13, the property of Coreas Distribution.
Lawrence pleaded guilty to the charge.
In presenting the facts, Station Sergeant of Police Renrick Cato said that on Sept. 7, about 5 p.m., Gillian Ferdinand, a worker at the grocery store, was at her workplace when she noticed Lawrence enter the mini mart with a black bag.
She observed him take up the pigtail and placed it in his bag and walk past the cashier without paying.
Ferdinand asked to search Lawrence’s bag and the pigtail was found inside.
The police were summoned and Lawrence was subsequently charged but opted not to give a statement to police.
In mitigation, Thomas told the court, the defendant said he was willing to pay for the pigtail.
He asked the court to consider a sentence to dissuade Lawrence from doing what he had done.
Thomas said the elderly man is unemployed and suggested that “maybe the court could reprimand and discharge…”
“No,” the chief magistrate responded.
The magistrate ordered compensation of EC$38.13 forthwith or two weeks imprisonment.
Lawrence was also ordered to keep the peace for six months in the sum of EC$1,500. If he breaches the bond, he must pay the sum forthwith or spend six months in prison.
As the defendant waited to sign the bond, his counsel told him that he would pay the compensation amount.
I’m not encouraging anyone to steal but it’s commendable for the lawyer to do this. A lot of suffering in this country.
Good man Jomo! Compassion of the “haves” for the “have nots” is not seen as often as it should be in SVG.
Thank you!
Something is seriously wrong in SVG! When a senior has to revert to stealing FOOD! the country is facing a HUGE PROBLEM!
So am I to think the costs of the pig tails , was paid by Jomo with the intention of collecting it later when he bill the client?. Therefore Jomo got credit for a jester, that’s all that was. The client did not have the cash on him to cover the cost of the stolen goods. So his lawyer covered the cost of the stolen tails, as the judge demands. That’s the story. Just saying c
Most people try speak in tounges but we all knows what is wrong in svg and how it comes and if it continues people will try to eat stone soon , this man try to avoid that by stealing pigtail lets wait and see what the others will try