A 30-YEAR-OLD woman who allegedly stole $109,000 from her employer on December 24, 2004 had her bail of $40,000 increased to $80,000 when she appeared in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court charged with larceny as a servant, on Thursday. She is Tanish Letford, a cashier of Portmore, St. Catherine.
The court was told that on Christmas eve last year, at about 8 p.m., after Letford checked off at Learner Shop in Portmore, where she worked as a cashier, she came up $109,000 short on the day's sale and could not account for this. The police was called in and she was arrested and charged. She should have appeared in court on January 4, 2005; however, she failed to do so and as a result, a warrant was issued for her arrest.
NOT GUILTY
When Letford appeared in court this week, Resident Magistrate Lorna Errar-Gayle enquired why she did not attend in January. She told the judge that part of the money had been paid back adding that she was not guilty of taking the money. She said she paid back the money as it was her responsibility to account for it.
The court was further told by the investigating officer, Constable Dennis Gayle, that $103,000 had been paid back.
The judge then told the accused woman that as a result of her not coming to court on the January 14, her bail would be doubled, and she would have to get a different surety. The surety who bailed Miss Letford was also told that he owed the government $44,000 for her non-appearance in court on January 4, 2005.
Letford will return to court on April 6 for the case to continue.
R.T.
