Mother, son freed of $14 million ATM theft
Published:Monday | February 17, 2025 | 9:21 AMTanesha Mundle/Staff Reporter
A former driver and junior treasury officer at Guardsman Security and his mother, implicated in the theft of close to $14 million from two National Commercial Bank ATMs in St Ann five years ago, were this week freed in the St Ann Parish Court.
Twenty-four-year-old Amir Beckles was freed of larceny as a servant, while his 43-year-old mother, Annadean Silvera, was freed of receiving stolen goods.
The duo walked free after prosecutors reviewed a video of Beckles’ confession and offered no evidence after defence attorneys, Peter Champagnie, KC, and Samoi Samuels, challenged the ex-security guard’s confession on the grounds that the proper protocols were not followed and that he was offered certain benefits.
Beckles and his mother were arrested following the theft of $13,750,000 from two NCB ATMs in St Ann’s Bay on January 5, 2020. Both were charged after Beckles allegedly confessed to his involvement in the robbery.
However, the lawyers submitted that their client confessed after he was extensively questioned during an interview which lasted over three hours and in which he was without an attorney and was not advised of his rights.
They also argued that the confession was not voluntarily done, as the interviewer had promised Beckles certain benefits in exchange for his admission.
The lawyers contended that Beckles had maintained his innocence and for the majority of the interview, Beckles was adamant in his stance and only confessed after he was promised certain benefits for his confession. Consequently, they submitted that the confession, therefore, could not be admitted.
They further argued that there was no evidence to suggest that Silvera was aware of any criminal activity and that she was charged only because her son had said during his confession that he had given her the stolen money.
Subsequently, the prosecution, after reviewing the confession, was forced to concede and offered no evidence against both accused.
According to reports, on the day in question, three men reportedly went to the ATMs, spray-painted the security camera, entered a code and stole the money.
The matter was reported to the police and following investigations, Beckles and his mother were arrested and charged.