A 37-year-old jeweller of Sunflower Jewellery, who is accused of fraudulently converting to his own use a quantity of gold jewellery given to him for cleaning by a woman, was yesterday granted bail when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Parmanand Ramdeholl of West Ruim-veldt pleaded not guilty to the charge of fraudulent conversion when Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson read it to him.
The facts of the case are that on October 13 at West Ruimveldt, Odessa Braithwaite entrusted Ramdeholl with a gold band and a pair of gold earrings, all valued $35,000, in order that he may clean and return them to her but he fraudulently converted the jewellery to his own use and benefit.
The magistrate subsequently placed Ramdeholl on bail in the sum of $50,000 and ordered that the case be transferred to Court Six for October 29.
Braithwaite, who was also present in court, stated that on the day in question she went to Ramdeholl’s business place and gave him the gold band and earrings so he might clean them for her.
She said that Ramdeholl told her that the cleaning would cost $1,000 and that she should return later that day to uplift the jewellery.
She further stated that later that day she called Ramdeholl to inform him that she was on her way to uplift the jewellery but was told by him that “he had given it to some man that went wid me to he foh clean me jewellery.”
Braithwaite noted that upon hearing this she was alarmed and went immediately to Ramdeholl’s business place to inquire about her jewellery.
She noted that when she got there Ramdeholl was not in so she made another call to his cell phone but was greeted by an annoyed Ramdeholl who told her to “do wah ya want.”
She later made a report to the police and Ramdeholl was arrested and charged for the offence.
Meanwhile, Ramdeholl, who appeared shocked at the accusation, stated in his defence that Braithwaite had never given him the jewellery.
He noted that Braithwaite and a man had come to his business place on the day in question to clean some gold jewellery.
He said that it was the man who handed him the jewellery to be cleaned.
He went on to say that about 15 minutes after the duo had left, the man returned and told him that he wanted back the jewellery. He said that he then handed the jewellery back to the man.
Ramdeholl further stated that a short while after, Braithwaite called him and told him not to give anybody her jewellery but he informed her that he had already given the jewellery back to the man who had gone to his business place with her.
He said that Braithwaite responded to this by saying “safe”.
Ramdeholl said later that day he received another call from Braithwaite and this time she sounded hysterical, saying to him that she hoped he did not give her jewellery to anyone and she was on her way to collect the jewellery.
He said that he told her that he did not have the jewellery and if she wanted to go to the police about the matter she could.