A partially blind, diabetic Ste Madeleine resident, who claimed he stole 11 tubes of toothpaste to sell so he could buy rice and flour for his children, yesterday was jailed for 90 days. Ralph Ramlal, 56, of Petit Mourne, was jailed by San Fernando magistrate Alicia Chankar after he pleaded guilty to larceny on Thursday.
In his defence, Ramlal told Chankar his wife died a year-and-a-half ago, he was a diabetic and "partially blind" and unemployed. "So what, that gives you the right to take what is not yours?," the magistrate asked.
Ramlal, who was arrested by PC Alvijay Bhagwandeen, was charged with stealing the 11 tubes of toothpaste, together valued $229.89, from Bone's Supermarket, St Clements. (RR)