Magistrate Shivani Lalaram denied bail on Friday for a man accused of breaking into a boutique at Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice and stealing several items.
Jai Chamanlall, 30, of Bath Experiment, West Coast Berbice, appeared at the Weldaad Magistrate’s Court where it was alleged that between Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9, 2026, Chamanlall broke into the shop of Dhanmattie Sookhoo and stole several items.
Among the items allegedly stolen were: fifteen West watches valued at $210,000; fifteen Kayak colognes valued at $142,000; fifteen multicoloured track pants valued at $20,500; artificial jewellery valued at $150,000; two black music boxes valued at $43,000; two black solar-powered devices valued at $19,000; two white plastic bags containing flowers and gift items valued at $50,000; three pairs of black shoes valued at $19,000; seven pairs of multicoloured sneakers valued at $56,000; six pairs of slippers from Morel and Prada brands valued at $36,000; four gift sets valued at $27,500; five T-shirts, three jeans, and six trunks valued at $40,000; and $100,000 in cash.
He had no lawyer and was not required to plead to the charge.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Garfield Edwards informed the court that the investigation is incomplete. He mentioned that another accused was allegedly charged with the same offence.
Edwards stated that some of the items were found on the accused. He added that the defendant is a repeat offender, previously charged with break and enter in another case. Edwards said the defendant was placed on bail but failed to attend court, leading to his arrest.
Given the behaviour of the accused, Edwards noted that if bail were granted, Chamanlall would likely not return to court.
Magistrate Lalaram denied bail and remanded Chamanlall to prison. He is scheduled to appear in court again on June 3, 2026, and the case has been transferred to the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court.
The denial of bail reflects concerns about the defendant’s history of non-compliance and the serious nature of the alleged offence.
