A mechanic who allegedly stripped his client’s car of its parts and converted money given to him was granted $125,000 bail by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Chandand Heeralall was read a charge of fraudulent conversion which alleges that between April 1 and 30, being solely entrusted with motor car HA 1966 to repair and return to Faizul Ali, he converted a quantity of car parts to his own use and benefit, being the property of Mohamed Ali.
On the said day he removed one transmission, a radiator and an engine guard among other parts from the vehicle, the total value of the items amounting to $273,000. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
He was read a second charge of embezzling $58,000 from Faizul Ali between May 28 and June 4 when he was given the money to purchase car parts for Ali but converted the said sum to his own use and benefit. He was not required to plead to this charge.
Heeralall, 23, of 23 Temple Street, Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara was represented by attorney Vic Puran.
Puran in his bail application said that his client was not a flight risk and was at home when he was arrested by the police. The attorney queried what his client had converted the parts into, saying that the charge does not make sense.
However Ali said that the defendant used to work for him as a mechanic and he gave him the money to buy parts for the car. He said that several persons in the area told him that Heeralall was stripping his vehicle and putting the said parts on another vehicle he was repairing.
He added that he tried to make contact with him but was unsuccessful. The police, he said, had to stop Heeralall from escaping and he was scheduled to leave the country for Trinidad the following morning. Ali told the court that his losses were substantial and he was not in a position to replace the parts on his vehicle.
However Puran said that his client was not planning a trip to Trinidad, adding that Ali knew what to say in order to prejudice the case against his client.
The prosecutor asked for a date for statements.
Heeralall was then granted $50,000 bail on the first charge and $75,000 on the second. The matter was transferred to Court 10 for July 15.
