Man sentenced to 5 years for stealing copper

A Port of Spain magistrate is suggesting turning to religious leaders to positively influence their flock to do the right thing as a means to reduce crime.

Magistrate Nizam Khan has also suggested “going back to basics” by reviewing the schools curriculum from the primary school level to secondary and tertiary.

Khan also lamented that TT was now plagued by daily robberies which left hard-working citizens cowering in fear.

He made the observations after sentencing a 52-year-old San Juan man to five years' imprisonment for stealing 19 feet of copper from a compressor at the San Juan market on July 9.

Vishal Maharaj, of Goose Lane, San Juan, pleaded guilty on three charges of larceny of 19 feet of copper, unlawful and malicious damage to compressors valued at $10,650 and being in possession, without lawful cause, of implements for house breaking.

For the latter charge, Maharaj was sentenced to serve five years while the other two charges he will serve one year each.

According to the police report, PC Bharat Barran of the San Juan Police Station was on patrol at around 6 p.m. when he saw Maharaj in the market, attempting to pass the copper through the fence.

In sentencing Maharaj, Khan took into consideration the guilty plea, Maharaj's character, family ties, social and community standing.

Maharaj had 16 convictions and seven pending matters.

The magistrate also said he considered the public's welfare and concern for the crime situation, adding that the custodial sentence should act as a deterrent to those intent on breaking the law.

“TT used to be a nice place but it is now plagued by many robberies. It is unfair for hard-working citizens who labour daily to build a nation and are unable to walk the streets freely. Incidents like these pose an economic and social hardship on the nation.”

Khan is presiding in the Port of Spain Eleventh Court and sentenced Maharaj on Monday.