I stole because a woman worked obeah on me – Thief

Junior Calvert Richards is adamant that someone performed obeah on him, causing him to steal two bottles of liquor.{{more}}

Richards, however, would not be stealing any liquor for a while, as Chief Magistrate Sonya Young, on Tuesday at the Serious Offences Court, sentenced him to five months imprisonment.

Richards, 30, pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of Hennessy cognac and a bottle of Johnny Walker Black whiskey on May 17 and again on May 19.

The chief magistrate sentenced Richards to three months in jail on the first charge and two months on the second charge.

The sentences will run consecutively.

The court heard that on May 17, Richards entered a supermarket in Questelles, owned by Wendell Phillips, took up a few items and paid for them.

However, checks of the surveillance camera later that day revealed that Richards had placed the cognac and whiskey in his bag, but did not pay for them when he got to the counter.

Two days later, Richards returned to the supermarket and attempted the same feat, but was caught red-handed.

In attempting to explain his case to the court, Richards said in 2005, a woman worked obeah on him and told him that he would “make a jail soon”.

He said that was why he had stolen.

The chief magistrate told Richards that stealing luxury items was not going to “fly” with her.

“Every time you steal from the people, they are losing. Two days later you gone back again because it worked the first time,” Young said.

Richards however stuck to his story that obeah was worked on him.

“Your Worship, (calls woman’s name) work obeah pon me. That is why I dey here…”

In response, Young said, “you need to work for the things you want and more so, the things you need. Jesus Christ is more powerful than any obeah. That’s the only obeah I know.”

Richards also said that Friday, May 17, the day he stole the items, was his birthday.

“I am very sorry, my worship. I’m very sorry. I have a child going born in July…,” Richards explained.

“You didn’t care when you steal people’s things. Where was your mercy when you were stealing the people’s things? But when you come to court, you begging for leniency,” an irate Young said.

The chief magistrate told Richards that obeah is illegal in St Vincent and the Greandines and warned that he should have proof before accusing people of such things.

“Be sure you can back up what you say… You must learn to live within your means. Go in the prison and learn from that.” (KW)