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

Store owner on cocaine rap denied bail

A store owner, who is accused of transporting eight and three quarter pounds of cocaine, was denied bail in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Michael Douglas is charged with possession of, dealing in, conspiracy and taking steps to export cocaine.

The Crown alleges that, on July 9, the police acting on information intercepted a white Toyota motor vehicle along Half-Way Tree Road.

The vehicle was searched and one rectangular parcel allegedly containing cocaine in a multicoloured sheet set was discovered on the back seat of the vehicle Douglas was driving.

The accused was arrested and taken into custody.

A further search of the vehicle resulted in other parcels allegedly being found concealed in fitted sheets.

When cautioned by police, Douglas told them, “mi waan talk to mi lawyer”.

Senior Resident Magistrate Georgiana Fraser refused bail because the accused failed to give police a satisfactory answer to having a place of abode.

It was said that he told the police he stays at various hotels across the Corporate Area.

The matter was subsequently set for mention on August 13.

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Store owner on cocaine rap denied bail

TAJ employee on fraud rap denied bail

A bail application made for Christopher Moore, the Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) employee accused of causing the government to lose more than $1 billion, was turned down in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court last Thursday.

Moore, a resident of Portmore in St Catherine, was remanded by Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey and returns to court on July 21.

He is facing several charges, including fraud and breaches of the Cyber Crime Act.

Allegations are that over an unspecified period, Moore, an Information Technology (IT) expert employed to the East Street branch of the TAJ, manipulated the system and reduced tax assessments of companies and individuals.

It is alleged that after the TAJ assessed taxpayers, Moore would access the computer system, reduce the tax levied resulting in the Government losing more than $1 billion. The court also heard that he collected fees.

It is reported that the Revenue Protection Division in the Ministry of Finance, which led an operation on June 20, seized documents and computers at Moore’s house with the names of individuals and companies.

Moore is being represented by attorney-at-law Ramona Nelson.

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TAJ employee on fraud rap denied bail

Warder on ganja rap denied bail

A warder who was reportedly caught entering the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre with marijuana hidden in his pants waist, was Tuesday denied bail in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.

The accused, 31-year-old George Brown, of Waltham Park Road in Kingston, was remanded into custody until September 13 when he will again appear in court.Brown was reportedly found with two parcels of ganja in his possession after another officer observed him entering the facility with a bulge at his waist and took him to the personnel office, where he was searched by an assistant superintendent.The court was told that when the accused was asked what was in the package before the search, he answered, “ganja, Supa”.Brown’s motor car, the court was told, was also searched and six more parcels of ganja were allegedly recovered.Brown’s lawyer, John Clarke, who indicated that the human rights group, Jamaicans For Justice, was interested in the matter, argued relentlessly with Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey for her to grant his client bail but to no avail.Clarke, during his bail application, told Magistrate Pusey that his client was not guilty and that there was nothing in the statement to suggest that his client should not be granted bail. In addition, he said that his client was not a flight risk and that it was unlikely that Brown would interfere or influence the witnesses, given that they are all officers of the correctional service.“What about the gravity and nature of the offence?” the magistrate asked.Clarke, in reply, agreed that the case was serious, but indicated that more severe matters have come before Magistrate Pusey and that his client was constitutionally entitled to bail, which he said should not be deprived without reasonable cause.The magistrate, while commending Clarke for his exemplary application, said that the trading of ganja in correctional facilities by correctional officers was becoming too frequent and rejected the application, based on the strength of the Crown’s case, the nature of the offence and the fact that Brown is a correctional officer.

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Warder on ganja rap denied bail

‘Phanso’ denied

DESPITE vigorous protests made by Jamaica and India regarding the classification of two athletes from Algeria and Tunisia who were awarded the gold and silver medals, respectively, in the men’s F51/52/53 discus, Alphanso Cunningham was denied a medal and officially declared in fourth position.

Jamaica and India had lodged protests asserting that the Algerian athlete should have been classified in a higher class — Class 52 — as he demonstrated sufficient strength and movement of the fingers of both hands and balance of the trunk so as to exclude him from Class 51.Also, the Tunisian athlete demonstrated similar strength and movement and, in addition, was somewhat ambulant, which of necessity disqualifies him from class 51 and places him in Class 52.Classes F51, F52 and F53 in the men’s discus competition were merged and the system which has been established by the IPC is based on points awarded which are referenced to the world records in each class. The closer an athlete throws to, or exceeds, the world record of the class in which he or she is, the athlete will be awarded more points. The distance established for the world record in F51, being a weaker class, is less than in the higher classes.Jamaica and India maintained that both athletes should have been classified in a higher class which, given the distances they had thrown, would have accounted for fewer points and would have placed them out of the medal frame. The position of Jamaica and India was endorsed by other competing athletes from the USA, Croatia and Latvia, but was regrettably not accepted by the chief classifier, whose ruling has been the subject of further objection by Jamaica, with the support of India.“Disappointed but not defeated, for at least the silver would have been mine,” said Cunningham, who threw 26.38m, narrowly missing the world record by 24cm in his class F53.”President Christopher Samuda described the events as “inconsistent with the ideals and spirit of the paralympic movement and symptomatic of a wider issue regarding classification and equity, which no longer can be ignored and must now be meaningfully addressed”.Secretary general and chef de mission Suzanne Harris-Henry added: “It is disappointing that the rules of the IPC do not allow an athlete’s classification to be reviewed once their status is confirmed and this unfair advantage has placed athletes, like Alphanso, who are in the higher classes, in a position of not medalling in this particular event.”It is understood that a petition is being circulated and signed by countries calling for changes in the rules of classification, particularly in relation to classes T46 and 47, which have been the subject of objections made by Jamaica.“We will continue to lobby for greater equity in the rules and opportunities for athletes, who are clearly disabled, but who have been disenfranchised by the letter of the law which is still open to interpretation and which requires a spirit of inclusion rather than exclusion,” added Samuda.Cunningham will on Friday enter the arena once more, but this time in the men’s 52/53 javelin competition where he is expected to stake his claim.Today will be a rest day and Jamaica will resume competition tomorrow with Sylvia Grant in the F57/58 women’s javelin. Jamaica’s Alphanso Cunningham competes in the men’s F51/52/53 discus final at the IPC Athletics World Championships at the Stade du Rhune in Venissieux, Lyon, France, yesterday. Cunningham threw his season best of 26.38m but placed fourth in the final. (PHOTO: LIONEL ROOKWOOD)Algeria’s Berrahal Mohammed poses after throwing a world record distance of 31.16m in the men’s F51/52/53 discus final yesterday. (PHOTO: LIONEL ROOKWOOD)

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‘Phanso’ denied