Floyd Fraser, of Colonarie, has been fined for unlawful possession after giving an unknown man EC$6 and keeping a DVD player that the man had.
“The upholder is worse than the thief,” Magistrate Bertie Pompey told Floyd Fraser, on Thursday, adding, “It’s a popular saying.”
Fraser appeared before the Colonarie Magistrate’s Court, sitting at Georgetown, where Police Constable Shem Roberts told the court that on May 23, at 6:30 a.m., acting on information, he and a party of officers visited the defendant’s home at Colonarie.
After the police introduced themselves and explained their reason for being there, the defendant handed over a black Magnum DVD player to the officers.
Roberts told the court he was unsatisfied with the explanation Fraser gave regarding possession of the DVD player, and, as a result, he charged him with unlawful possession.
In his caution statement, Fraser said that an unknown man from Georgetown brought the DVD player and told him to hold it for him and that he (the unknown individual) would return for it.
Fraser said he also gave the unknown man EC$ for his bus fare as the man had requested.
In mitigation, Fraser told the court that what the officer read in the caution statement was correct.
He added that it was his first time in court and he does not make trouble.
“I don’t know was a thief man!” he said, referring to the unknown man.
Prosecutor Delando Charles put it to Fraser that he knew the item was stolen and he paid EC$6 for it?
“You don’t know the man; you gave him $6 and collected the DVD. You know is stolen thing!” Charles said
The defendant said, “No.”
Charles also put it to the defendant that he knew the man who he gave the EC$6
The defendant said,
“I know the guy, not his name. I know he from Georgetown,” Fraser responded.
The magistrate found the defendant guilty and fined him EC$400 to be paid in two weeks or two months in prison.
Fraser paid the fine.