A man charged with fraudulently converting $10.2 million entrusted to him by a city doctor to purchase a motor vehicle was remanded to prison by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday.
Suraj Narine Surujdin was not required to plead to the charge which alleges that between August 11 and 19, 2009, being entrusted with $10.2 million to buy one Toyota Land Cruiser and deliver same to Dr Walter Ramsahoye he converted the money to his use and benefit.
Attorney-at-law Mohamed Zafar represented the accused. Surujdin, 32, of 56 Chateau Margot Railway Line is Ramsahoye’s former mechanic.
The attorney said he found it strange that Ramsahoye gave his client that amount of money without holding him accountable for it. He said in his opinion “the charge reeks of fishiness.”
He said that the parties have a past history and contended that there is a lot more to the story than meets the eye. Last year, Ramsahoye and ex-policeman Clairmonte Marcus were charged with abducting and assaulting Girdharry Surujdin after a business deal worth $10 million fell through. That matter was subsequently discharged.
Ramsahoye in his defence said while it is true that he was charged with kidnapping, it was as a result of false allegations made against him by the defendant’s relatives.
The neurologist told the court that on August 11, he gave Surujdin $7 million and on August 19, an additional sum of $3.2 million. He said he was foolish in allowing Surujdin to convince him that he was in a position to acquire the vehicle for him.
After the first payment was given, Surujdin allegedly told the doctor that the additional sum was needed since it was a new model vehicle being sourced in Suriname.
Ramsahoye said he told him that he did not have the additional sum and asked for his money to be returned. He said he was told by the defendant that the dealer in Suriname does not grant refunds. Therefore, to ensure that he did not lose the initial amount, Ramsahoye said he borrowed the amount to give to Surujdin.
However, the deal did not materialise and Surujdin reportedly called him and told him that he had received a bank draft for US$45,000 from the dealer which he was going to give him. However he was never given the said bank draft.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Stephen Telford said he had no objection to bail but asked that it be granted in a substantial sum. He added that investigations are still ongoing and advice is still to be sought from the DPP in the matter.
Surujdin was then refused bail and the matter put down for June 10 in Court Two.
