Taxi man ordered to repay visitor

Taxi man Henderson Julian Massiah swindled a Jamaican man out of $1 000 and purchased a television, food and gambled with the remainder.

Those were some of the facts detailed by prosecutor Victoria Taitt after the 54-year-old, of Mason Hall Street, St Michael, who operates from the Lower Broad Street area pleaded guilty to stealing the Barbadian currency belonging to Marvin Clarke on February 2.

He had pleaded not guilty at first but then made a change.

The prosecutor said Clarke, who has been visiting Barbados for the last six months was scheduled to leave the island today after his appearance in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court.

Taitt disclosed that the visiting CARICOM national met Massiah sometime last year when he transported him to Hothersal Turning, St Michael. They exchanged telephone numbers then and kept in contact.

On January 29 Clarke approached Massiah in the taxi stand and queried the price of transporting him to the airport. He also asked the taxi man whether he would be able to get BDS$1000 changed into US currency.

Massiah said he could and the Jamaican handed him the money in the area of Norman Centre on February 2.

When he returned, Massiah told Clarke that he was still waiting on the other person who would change the money. It was agreed that the taxi man would take the money to Clarke when he received it that day but that never happened.

Later that same evening Massiah contacted Clarke and informed him that he would bring the money the following day. That also did not take place and Clarke reported the matter to police.

Under questioning the taximan stated that he used the money to purchase a television, food and gambled the rest, Constable Taitt told Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes as she requested a restitution order for the television which was granted.

Massiah is known to the law courts for committing similar offences.

In his defence his attorney Martie Garnes told the court his client had not wasted the court’s time and pleaded guilty at the earliest possibility.

“We are asking for leniency . . . it was a deal that went bad . . . and he is willing to compensate the complainant,” Garnes submitted to the court.

An order was made for the taxi man to repay the money in 16 weeks. Failure to honour the amount will cost him 60 days behind bars.

Clarke meanwhile made arrangements for another person to collect the money on his behalf as he was scheduled to leave the country today.

The matter continues on May 28.