Accused battery thief denied bail

One of the accused men considered to be a significant player in a major battery-stealing ring from telecommunications service providers was denied bail in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

He is Oneil Nicely of Mango Valley, St Mary, charged with receiving stolen property and possession of criminal property. He is charged along with another man.

The allegations are that between January 2013 and July 2014, more than 2,300 radio base station batteries were stolen from cell sites across the island, along with diesel fuel used in the generators. The theft and damage to equipment reportedly cost one company more than $100 million.

The police, it is being alleged, recovered batteries from Nicely.

In court, the prosecution denied bail on the basis that Nicely had no fixed address and that he allegedly sold the batteries to persons. The police want to recover the batteries. However persons want their money and also want to kill him.

Resident Magistrate Lorna Shelly-Williams ordered that the accused be taken back to court on October 10 in order to have his address verified. A bail application is also expected to be made then.

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Accused battery thief denied bail

Man accused of stealing battery

Rasbert Turner, Star Writer

A man who the police accused of stealing a battery was freed in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, following a successful no-case submission by his attorney.

Dwayne Gardener, 35-year-old construction worker of Portmore, St Catherine, was before the courts on a charge of larceny.

When the matter was mentioned, attorney-at-Law Vincent Wellesely told the court that the accused could not be prosecuted as charged.

He explained that the Crown was depending on the written statement of a representative for Digicel, which states that the battery found in his client’s possession are supplied to both his company and LIME Jamaica limited.

Wellesley said that the statement should be sought from Product Solutions Limited to identify the true owner of the battery in question.

The clerk of court then conceded that there was a flaw in the Crown’s case which resulted in Gardener being freed.

Allegations are that on October 15, last year, the accused was stopped by the police along the Braeton main Road in St Catherine.

While his documents were been checked, the police observed a battery he determined was the property of Digicel Jamaica.

The accused was then charged with larceny, he made several court appearances and has maintained his innocence throughout.

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Man accused of stealing battery