A 39-year-old man was today sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for stealing copper cable from the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, while a Tuschen businessman was separately charged with receiving stolen articles in connection with the matter.
Roy Morgan, who police described as unemployed and of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to simple larceny when he appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Diamond/Grove Magistrate’s Court.
According to police, Morgan was arrested on September 2 over the theft, which occurred between August 23 and September 1.
Meanwhile, Mustafid Pashaw, called “Mustaf”, 51, of Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on a charge of receiving stolen articles.
He was not required to plead to the indictable charge and was granted $300,000 bail. As a condition of bail, he must report to the Ruimveldt Police Station on the third Friday of every month.
The matter was adjourned to October 2.
Police said Pashaw was also arrested on September 2. The alleged receiving offence occurred at Sussex Street, Albouystown, between August 27 and 28.
Police had earlier said that approximately 90 feet of copper cable, valued at more than $1.6 million, had been removed from the bridge, disrupting part of its LED lighting system.
The theft was discovered on Monday night when an electrical maintenance engineer and his team attempted to illuminate the bridge in the colours of Trinidad and Tobago’s national flag to mark that country’s Independence anniversary.
While lights on the northern side worked, those on the southern side failed to come on. An inspection revealed that copper cables had been cut and removed from a metal trunking box.
The matter was reported to the Providence Police Station. Police subsequently said investigators had processed the scene and were reviewing CCTV footage.
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