Ninja Man, denying artefacts theft charge, says it ‘was likely set up’

During his reappearance in the No. 2 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court, popular street character Anthony Ninja Man Lynch declared the theft charges against him of over $100 000 in historical artefacts “could be a set-up”.

Addressing the court on Thursday, he insisted that he had yet to see any proof that he had committed the burglaries.

“I asked the officer if they have footage of me going in Parliament. The officer said ‘no’,” he said, later adding, “I ask them show me how I get in the building and back out. Nobody ain’t show me yet.”

Lynch is accused of trespassing on the National Heroes Museum in Parliament Buildings’ west wing between last September 30 and October 11, and stealing property belonging to the State, namely one briefcase valued at $500, two armorial badges valued at $13 200, a pistol and cutlass valued at $30 000, one cutlass valued at $250, one jacket valued at $10 000, one bow tie valued at $4 000, one cumberbund valued at $6 000, one pair of boots valued at $20 000, one cup valued at $4 000, one conch shell valued at $150, one pipe valued at $8 000, one rebate plane valued at $200, three hand drills valued at $600, and one awl valued at $200. The total value of those items was $97 100.

He is also charged with stealing a belt buckle valued at $5 000 from the museum between October 14 and 16.

Pleading with Magistrate Manila Renee to allow him to go to the Psychiatric Hospital for evaluation, the 69-year-old homeless man told the court that he was also willing to be fined so that he could be released from Dodds Prison, where he has been on remand since December.

“Ma’am, I would like you to send me to the Psychiatric [Hospital] or release me on bail or give me a fine to pay so I can get out of prison,” he told the magistrate.

Appearing as a friend of the court, Senior Counsel Andrew Pilgrim stated that the accused man wanted to be assessed at the Psychiatric Hospital in order to make the application for bail.

“In order to do such an application, he must be judged to be of sound mind,” the defence attorney insisted.

Court prosecutor Kenmore Phillips objected to bail, noting Lynch’s lack of a permanent address and his 39 previous convictions.

In his defence, the accused man replied: “When last you hear me break in any place in town? You haven’t cause I stop all that.” The court was then told his last conviction was in 2015.

Reminding him that the offences were indictable and could not be dealt with in the lower courts, Magistrate Renee denied his bail application “at this stage”.

Regarding his request to be sent to the mental health institution, she said the prison has the resources to carry out a psychiatric evaluation.

The case was adjourned until March 14.