A Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) driver and his brother who were arrested recently for stealing petrol from a JUTC bus were both slapped with a six-month prison sentence when they appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court last week.
Julian Barnaby, 32, who had been employed by the company for 12 years, and Durran Barnaby, 26, were last Monday arrested and charged with larceny as a servant and simple larceny respectively after they were caught in the act.
The court heard that Julian, while en route to pick up his JUTC colleagues, drove the bus around Kingston with his brother and stopped at different locations to steal the fuel from the bus.
However, the men were caught by police officers who had been trailing them. Petrol valued at a little over $12,000 was recovered from them.
When the men appeared in court before Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey, both pleaded guilty to the charge and acknowledged that what they did was wrong and that it was the first time that they had done it.
“I admit that what I did was wrong and it is first time I’m trying it and I get caught,” Julian said.
“Your brother don’t look like him agree,” Pusey then remarked.
However, he insisted that it was his first time and begged for leniency as he had three small children to care for.
“If you know you have three small children why you gone trouble the JUTC gas?” the magistrate asked Julian, who did not answer.
“Maam all I have to say is that I agree that it was wrong,” his bother then told the court. Pusey then stated that everyone was aware of the huge problem that the JUTC is facing with theft, and scolded both men for their actions.
“For every dollar you steal, my taxes has to pay for it so you both do six months for it,” she said in handing down the sentence.
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It should have been 12 months, but 6 good enough too.