Two men who allegedly pretended to be power company employees and demanded the sum of $60,000 from a woman in order that electrical meters would not be removed from her premises were yesterday placed before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court to answer the charge of demanding money with menace.
The allegation is that on September 23 at Georgetown, 28-year-old Solomon Jones of 114 Garnett Street and 36-year-old Jermaine James of 37 Norton Street, Lodge, demanded with menace the sum of $60,000 with intent to steal same from Shivanjali Sheumber.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.
The attorney representing the defendants made an application for his clients be admitted to reasonable bail on the grounds that they have no previous convictions, pose no risk of flight, have fixed addresses and have been cooperating fully with the police in their investigations. He added that his clients were innocent of the charge laid against them.
The prosecutor told the court, however, that on the day in question the defendants who had been fired from the Guyana Power and Light Inc approached the woman at her premises pretending to be GPL employees and demanded the sum of $60,000 or they would have her meters removed and electricity disconnected.
When given a chance to respond, the virtual complainant (VC) told the court that on the day in question, the accused persons who were well dressed in GPL uniform approached her at her home and informed her that they would disconnect her electricity and remove the meters unless she paid $60,000 to avoid the exercise.
The woman said that she paid the sum but later contacted the police because of her suspicions. The men were later arrested by the police.
The VC told the court that all she wanted was to be repaid and not have the matter proceed against the men. The attorney for the defendants then told the court that in order to end the stigma and save time, his clients were going to repay the money. The sum of $60,000 was then handed over to the VC.
The duo was then ordered to pay $10,000 court costs each and placed on a bond to keep the peace for two years.
