Guyanese firemen charged for stealing from crashed Fly Jamaica aircraft

Four firefighters appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, slapped with simple larceny charges after they were found in possession of items suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
Thirty-year-old Aubrey Frank of Lot 106 Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke Linden Highway; Jammie Kingston, 30, of Lot 21 D’Urban St, Lodge, Georgetown; and Roiden Kennedy, 27, of Lot 390 Timehri Hill, East Bank Demerara, were all charged jointly with having under their control articles reasonably suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.
The trio denied the charges after it was read to them.
Frank, Kingston and Kennedy were represented by Attorneys Clyde Ford, Eusi Anderson and George Thomas respectively, who all made applications for bail for their respective clients.
However, Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to bail being granted citing the seriousness of the charge as well as the circumstances under which the crime was committed.
As a result, the Chief Magistrate placed each defendant on G$100,000 bail and attached conditions for them to report to the Providence Police Station on a weekly basis as well as to lodge their passports.
The matter was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court and adjourned until December 12.
Meanwhile, a 38-year-old Section Leader of the Guyana Fire Service, Collis Williams, of Lot 14 Coverden, East Bank Demerara, was slapped with a simple larceny charge which alleged that on November 9, 2018, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, he stole an IPhone and a Samsung cellular phone belonging to Basil Ferguson. Williams denied the charge after it was read to him.
Prosecutor Mansfield also objected to bail citing the seriousness of the charge as well as the circumstances under which the crime was committed.
However, Williams was placed on G$100,000 bail along with being ordered to lodge his passport and report weekly at the Providence Police Station. He is expected to re-appear at the Providence Magistrate’s Court on December 13.
The men were accused of stealing several items on the morning of November 9, 2018, moments after a Fly Jamaica aircraft crash-landed at the Cheddi Jagan international Airport. The firemen were the first responders who assisted the distressed passengers to disembark the damaged aircraft.
It was until later that day that the flight crew realised personal items were missing from the aircraft. This prompted an investigation which led to the discovery of the items at the Timehri Fire Service. The men were placed in custody and a thorough investigation was carried out.
More than two weeks later, the Police Legal Advisor recommended that charges be instituted against the four men.