By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A man accused of stealing a woman’s purse five years ago vehemently denied the allegations as he gave closing arguments at the end of his trial.
Police branded Kenrick Pratt as the alleged culprit after a woman who was familiar with him identified him as the man who snatched her purse in February 2016.
However, the accused said he was the victim of mistaken identity and maintained his innocence during his trial before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis.
According to the prosecution, when the complainant gave evidence on March 29, 2016, she said she left her purse in her car after parking and securing the vehicle on Second Street, the Grove.
The court was told that sometime later, she saw a man checking her car before running away with her handbag.
The prosecution said the woman saw the man’s face up close after she pursued him and got into a struggle with him while trying to get her purse back.
The woman said she realised the man was Pratt, who would frequent a breakfast shack in the Grove, right before he broke free and ran off with her purse.
Pratt, who is not represented by an attorney, did not call any witnesses to testify on his behalf.
However, during the proceedings, he chose to take the stand to give evidence and deny the allegations.
When he testified, he said he had “no knowledge” of the incident and insisted he only happened to be in the vicinity when the alleged offence took place.
“I was only arrested because of the people I hang out with,” he said. “My company cost me that day.”
Yesterday, Pratt also claimed he was only identified as a suspect because the officer who arrested him had a “vibe” with him.
In his closing arguments, prosecutor Kendrick Bauld reiterated the fact that the complainant identified Pratt as the man who “snatched her bag”.
In response, Pratt insisted the entire incident came about as a result of “mistaken identity.”
After listening to submissions from both sides, Magistrate Rolle Davis adjourned the matter to November 4 to deliver his ruling.
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