Charles to fork up $300 or spend two months in jail

Benson Charles is staring at a two-month prison sentence if he does not come up with $300 in one week.{{more}}

Chief Magistrate Sonya Young fined Charles, 21, of Barrouallie $300 after he pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon, a bird gun, in his possession at the Barrouallie public road on August 24, 2008.

Information reaching the Serious Offences Court on Monday heard that the virtual complainant Akeem Grant, 24, a fisherman of the same address, had a dispute with Charles about two weeks prior to the incident on the 24th.

On the 24th at approximately 10am, Grant said he was at a shop when the defendant approached him and pointed the gun at him and said “Long time I have you on my death list.” The matter was reported to the police and Charles was picked up. He volunteered to give a written statement, and admitted to the charge.

In court, Charles gave a different version of what took place. He told the Magistrate that he never threatened Grant with the gun. He told the court that about a week prior to the incident, Grant took some fishing hooks and line from his yard and never returned them. “I ask him fo me thing dem more than ten times and all he been telling me is that he go bring dem back,” he stated. The young man added that he saw Grant on the 24th in the yard with his cousin who had the gun shooting at fowls. “I took the gun from my cousin and ask him (Grant) if he not bringing back my hook and den he come tell me is long time I on his death list.”

Charles stated that he got angered by what was said by Grant and that he never meant to point the gun at him, but that he only wanted to frighten him a bit.

Magistrate Young told Charles that what he did was stupid and that he could get into more trouble for what he did. “Why you go and threaten him with a gun for? Suppose he comes back for you. He would most likely not come with a bird gun,” Young stated. She warned Charles to steer clear of the law and not to return to court.(KW)