A contractor who allegedly duped two persons into believing he had plots of land at Kitty to sell and obtained $1.5 million from them was yesterday refused bail by Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan.
Joel Jukes, 40, of 64 Durban Street pleaded not guilty at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court to two charges of obtaining money by false pretence.
It is alleged that on November 22 last year he obtained $1,200,000 from Rosina Persaud by falsely pretending that he was the transported owner of a plot of land situated at 35 David Street, Kitty. He reportedly said that he was in a position to sell the plot of land. On January 29 this year he allegedly obtained $300,000 from Rajesh Coonjah by pretending that he was also the transported owner of land at 59 David Street, Kitty.
Attorney-at-law Nigel Anthony, representing Jukes, argued that his client is a contractor with no previous brushes with the law and the prosecution would not be able to prove its case.
He stated that Jukes was contracted and was acting as an agent for another man. Anthony said further it was a contractual arrangement which went sour that led to the charges.
Police prosecutor Sherwin Matthews asked that Jukes’ bail be refused. He stated that the police had a difficult time in arresting Jukes and that he had other matters of a similar nature at the court. The prosecutor added that Jukes even gave different names to the police and it was not likely that he would return for his trial.
Jukes was remanded and will return to court on Monday.
