By PAVEL BAILEY
A COUPLE was charged in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday with receiving a stolen item.
Victor Johnson, 45, and Melba Pratt, 32, appeared before Magistrate Kendra Kelly on a charge of receiving.
Johnson faced a further charge of stealing in connection with the same incident.
On May 13, both suspects were accused of giving into the possession of Antonio Charles a $250 32” Westinghouse TV from the A&J’s restaurant on Exuma Street, New Providence knowing it to have been stolen.
Since their arrest the TV was put into police custody.
In court, both accused pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and elected to continue their trials in a Magistrate’s Court.
However, after his plea Johnson claimed that his girlfriend, Pratt, was nowhere near the alleged criminal act before her arrest. Johnson further explained that Pratt was only visiting him at his residence when they were arrested and that another man had stashed the stolen TV near his home.
Johnson also claimed that he was never officially charged with the offence after his arrest on Sunday at 6pm. Despite his frustrations over the whole situation, Johnson said he is most pained to see his girlfriend in jail over the matter. He told the magistrate that he was prepared to take all the charges on himself.
While Pratt was granted $2,000 bail with one or two sureties, on condition she sign in at the Grove Station every Wednesday before 6pm, Johnson’s bail hearing was deferred to Friday.
The trial for the two has been set for July 5.
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