Man released from prison in January accused of theft

A father of four who was released from one of the island's penal institutions on January 18 after spending nine months said that he would not have stolen a cell phone in central Kingston as he has ties to the area.

"I am not thinking to take up nuh gun or nuh badness to do those stuff. I am not mad to rob someone right near my yard, Ma'am. If you can look into what I am saying, I am not a fool Ma'am to go and rob a cell phone," Osaka Gillespie told the court.

The allegations are that the complainant was walking along Harbour Street when Gillespie approached her on a motorcycle and brandished a knife, robbing her of her Samsung Galaxy A42 cell phone. The phone is said to be valued at $25,000. He was apprehended by members of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch. A ratchet knife was retrieved from him. The 34-year-old was charged with robbery with aggravation and being armed with an offensive weapon. He pleaded guilty to the latter charge.

On caution, Gillespie allegedly said, "Me dweet Mr [name redacted] and me guilty."

"Your Honour, that's lie. I could just finish a [sentence for] robbery with aggravation and wounding with intent and pick up myself and go outside, go on Harbour Street, where I born and grow and rob somebody? Your Honour, I am not a mad man," Gillespie said. "Your Honour, I did not do it. I live on Johns Lane and just tru they know that I've been convicted for robbery, I would be a mad man to go rob somebody." But the judge was not amused by his logic.

"Sir, respectfully, that means nothing at all to me. The face of criminality in this country is very barefaced, all sort of things happen in this court daily. A few weeks ago, a clip went viral. A man just leave a senior judge in the parish and metres of the court, him go lick down, kick down [his] babymother and he pleaded guilty before me. People are barefaced so when you say to me, 'How could I do that?', that nuh bare nuh weight with me... ," the judge argued.

The clerk of courts told the judge that the case file was complete and the matter was ready to proceed to trial. But Gillespie opted to be sentenced rather than returning to court on another occasion.

"I'm madding now man! I get four kids and I don't live no life with none of my kids. Me tired a this now," he said.

Despite his pleas to be sentenced, the judge indicated that she would need time to review his antecedents to arrive at the most appropriate sentence. Gillespie was remanded in custody.