A man who was given an option of paying a fine or going to jail, chose the latter when he appeared in the Corporate area Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday.

Roy Stewart, who pleaded guilty to removing pieces of lumber from a premises, appeared in the court on charges of unlawful possession of property and possession of an offensive weapon.

The court experienced some amount of laughter after Stewart, who was fined $4,000 or 10 days for possession of an offensive weapon, told the resident magistrate, "I prefer to take the 10 days". He later told the court that he had the knife to protect himself. After composure was restored in court when the laughter subsided, the arresting officer informed the court of the circumstances which led to Stewart's arrest.

Sergeant Stanford Riley told the court that Stewart was seen on Maxfield Avenue about 11 p.m. last Thursday, with three pieces of lumber in his possession. According to Riley, Stewart was asked to explain how he obtained the pieces of lumber. Stewart was reported to have responded that he found the lumber on the roadside.

However, police checks later revealed that the pieces of lumber were actually removed from a work site nearby. Stewart was also found with a knife in his possession when accosted.