Quincy Bruce from the community of Soufriere who appeared before the Magistrate’s court in Roseau on charges of theft and possession of magnetic Stripe Cards has been denied bail “in the public’s interest.”
According to court documents, between June 3-16, 2022, Bruce is alleged to have stolen $47,600.00 from the ATM Machine in Roseau belonging to the National Cooperative Credit Union (NCCU), he is also charged with stealing from the NCCU ATM on High Street on June 28, 2022, using electronic magnetic cards $1,900.00.
His two other charges are for possessing Magnetic Stripe Cards on June 28, 2022, at the Central Credit Union on Federation Drive Goodwill.
He elected to have a summary trial at the Magistrate’s Court and pleaded “not guilty” to the four charges.
Bail application
His lawyer Wayne Norde told the court, that his client has “a fixed place of abode which is Sourfriere and will surrender to the jurisdiction of the court.” He also stated that the offenses for which his client (Bruce) is in court, is “not a serious offense as defined by the Bail Act.”
In his rebuttal, the prosecution headed by sergeant David Andrew Jr objected to bail and told the court that Bruce is a person of interest to the police in other matters of a similar nature.
“It’s an extensive and comprehensive investigation steaming as far back as December 2021 involving a number of Venezuelan nationals who are presenting before the court (July 4, 2022) in Portsmouth, and, if granted bail, we fear that he will interfere with the ongoing investigations and witnesses and pervert the course of justice,” Andrew told the court.
On the issue of having a “fixed place of abode,” Andrew told the court “That since December 2021, the police have been trying to arrest Bruce, have obtained and executed several search warrants on his premises and other locations he frequents but he has made himself elusive to the police.”
“It is for this reason that we are saying he will not surrender to the custody or jurisdiction of the court, also, the matter under investigation involves over two hundred thousand dollars and, if found guilty could land him in jail for a long time hence he is a flight risk.”
He ended by telling the court, that Bruce has strong ties to the United Kingdom and the prosecution believes if granted bail there is a severe likelihood of him absconding.
Ruling
The defendant is charged with four offenses and under Section 6 (1) (b) of the Bail Act, the court is “satisfied that the defendant should be kept in custody” and that it was “not in the public’s interest to grant him bail.” Bail was therefore denied, and he has been remanded at the Stock Farm Prison. The matter is set for July 29, 2022, for review.