Soldier admits to stealing engine

A member of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), who stole a portion of an engine with the intent to sell it to assist with cancer treatment for his mother, was offered bail on Thursday in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

Imran Archer pleaded guilty to larceny from the motor vehicle before Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque.

Prosecutors outlined that between August 2 and 3, an engine valued at $3.5 million was removed from a JDF service vehicle that was parked at the military headquarters at Up Park Camp in Kingston.

Archer, a corporal, was questioned by a military team and the engine was recovered. He was subsequently arrested and charged. When cautioned, he said, "I took it, me can carry yuh go where it is. Officer, me mother have stage three cancer, me spend all a me savings on treatment and a me alone a care fi her."

"He said he is really sorry about it and he doesn't know what he was thinking because he is really stressed out about it," the prosecutor shared with the court.

"It sounds to me that his sentence has already started, so we can now formalise it," Judge Cole-Montaque said.

In a bail application, attorney-at-law Pierre Rodgers submitted that his client has been in the military for close to 30 years and due to the unfortunate situation, he has now lost his ability to earn.

Archer was offered bail in the sum of $350,000 with a surety and is to report to the police once weekly. Judge Cole-Montaque ordered that he surrenders his travel documents and a stop order be imposed at the island's ports.

The matter was adjourned until November 27 for mention.

- T.T.