A man, who is a co-accused with his mother in the alleged theft of a large quantity of medical supplies from the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), had his hopes of securing bail dashed on Wednesday.

The Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court refused bail after it heard further details that the accused, Kemar Samuels, is believed to be member of the Braes Street gang and that he was heard in a voice note on his cellular phone threatening to kill policemen in the Kingston East Police Division for the fatal shooting of a gang member.

Inspector Glen Simpson, who provided the court with the information Wednesday, also told Parish Judge Vaughn Smith that Samuels was also seen in a photograph posing with a firearm and that there were also messages about “locking weapons”.

According to the inspector, the police had been watching Samuels for some time before his mother’s house was searched and the stolen items found.

When Samuels appeared in court with his mother Joy Brown, who is on station bail, attorney Richard Lynch, who stood in for their attorney, Peter Champagnie, enquired about a date for a bail hearing but was quickly told by the judge that, based on the strength of the Crown’s case, Samuels would not be offered bail. Instead, the judge suggested that an early trial date be fixed but the attorney asked for another mention date, which was set for next Thursday.

Samuels, 27, and his mother, a patient care assistant at the hospital, were arrested after police raided her home in Manley Meadows, Kingston, on January 14 and found items which included 62 boxes of examination gloves, 1,000 urine bags, six rolls of hand towel, 17 boxes of cotton wool, and nine surgical tapes.

Both were subsequently arrested and charged with simple larceny and receiving stolen property.

When the judge enquired how the accused came to be in possession of the items, Lynch said he was instructed by Samuels that he bought the items in Coronation Market in downtown Kingston, but that it was an informal transaction in which he was not given a receipt.

“It’s a coincidence that it comes from the same place where his mother works,” Judge Smith remarked.

Lynch, in reply, said, “Fact is stranger than fiction.”

The judge, however, indicated that it was OK if Samuels wanted to use that story as his defence but that he should be aware that if he is convicted the penalty would be stiffer.

Samuels was subsequently remanded and his mother’s bail extended.