The Tribune

By Pavel Bailey

A WOMAN guilty of stealing by finding was fined in Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Cleotha Brown, 54, appeared before Assistant Chief Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans for taking Fritzner Sylvestere’s smartphone without turning it in to him or the proper authorities within 48 hours.

On February 26 at Island Luck on West Bay Street, Brown allegedly found Sylvestere’s $249.99 black Samsung S9+ phone on the cashier counter but failed to return it to its rightful owner.

After the complainant launched an official investigation into the matter, Brown was seen in security footage picking up the phone and placing it in her bag. Brown then denied the allegations against her in a subsequent police interview.

However, in court the accused pleaded guilty to the charge against her.

Brown’s attorney Milton Cox asked that the court place his client on probation. As part of Cox’s plea of mitigation, he indicated that the accused was a mother employed at a primary school and that she was truly remorseful for her actions.

While Cox acknowledged that authorities were unable to recover the phone due to Brown discarding it at some point, he said his client is willing to compensate the complainant for his loss.

It was at this point that the magistrate remarked that if a 54-year-old mother who works at a school with children is tempted to steal then the country is truly in trouble. She further called Brown’s actions “disgraceful”.

In her ruling, Magistrate Vogt-Evans convicted Brown and ordered her to pay Sylvestere $249.99 for the phone. She also fined Brown $250 or risk two months in prison for the offence.