Man who bought stolen bike freed of charges after compensating victim
Feb 03, 2025
Kaieteur News- A 35-year-old man, who was charged with simple larceny, walked free after appearing before the Georgetown Magistrate Court last Friday.
Orlando James, of Lot 31 Bent Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, was accused of stealing a motorcycle valued at $175,000 from Shai Stephens on Robb Street, Georgetown. Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty read the charge to James, who pleaded not guilty. The prosecution explained that Stephens had reported his motorbike missing and later received a tip that the bike was spotted on Camp Street. Upon arriving at the location, Stephens saw James driving the motorcycle toward a nearby wash bay. Recognising his bike by its identification number, Stephens contacted the police.
Orlando James (compensating victim)
Officers arrived at the scene and arrested James, who initially claimed he had purchased the motorcycle from a child but could not provide information on the child’s whereabouts. James, who was unrepresented in court, later explained that he had bought the bike, unaware that it was stolen. “I bought the bike from the child; I’m sorry for what I did,” he stated. However, James later changed his story, claiming that a man originally asked for $60,000 for the bike, but he only had $40,000, and the man accepted the lower amount.
Stephens told the court that when he recovered the bike, it was faulty. He explained that the brakes were damaged and overall, the bike was not in a good condition. Stephens estimated that the damage would cost $40,000 and expressed that he was open to receiving compensation.
James agreed to compensate Stephens, and his family members, who were present in court, provided the $40,000 in cash to Stephens. As a result, the case against James was dismissed. However, Magistrate McGusty cautioned James about the risks of purchasing high-value items, such as vehicles, without proper documentation. She stressed the importance of obtaining receipts and verifying ownership to avoid similar legal issues in the future.
(Man who bought stolen bike freed of charges after compensating victim)
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