Seven accused of looting during hurricane remanded
Seven men whom police allegedly caught looting several Kingston-based businesses during Hurricane Ivan, were remanded in custody when they appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Charged under the Public State of Emergency Act are:
. Kenneth McLean,
. Dave Byfield,
. Vernon Lennon,
. Michael Edwards,
. Sheldon Williams,
. Damian Williams, and
. Alvin Palmer.
They all pleaded not guilty.
Police say a squad of officers were patrolling downtown Kingston in an unmarked vehicle at about 11:00 am on Saturday, September 11 and noticed McLean, Byfield,
Lennon and Edwards standing on the piazza of a wholesale at East Street. Beside the men, the cops said, was more than $30,000 worth of goods. The four men were arrested by the lawmen, but not before they saw Sheldon Williams climbing down from the roof of the building.
When questioned, Sheldon Williams told the cops he had climbed on the roof to secure it.
On Tuesday, presiding magistrate Judith Pusey remanded the five in custody until October 7.
Palmer was held by cops from the St Andrew North Division who said they caught him with goods he had taken out of the Texaco gas station at the corner of Half Way Tree and Oxford roads.
Police say Palmer was held with 30 cans of air freshener and eight battery terminals, among other items. Palmer was ordered to stay behind bars until his case is back before the court on Friday.
Damian Williams was held with a refrigerator valued at $25,000 during the raging storm. Another man who was seen carrying the appliance with Williams managed to escape.
Williams, however, was chased and held by cops.
He told the court that he was asked by the man to assist him in carrying the refrigerator.
“I was standing on the corner and I see a man struggling with the fridge and him ask me to help him and I help him. I never loot anywhere,” Williams told the court, causing a disruptive burst of laughter from police officers, lawyers and persons in the gallery.
Williams will be brought back to court on October 4, this year.
