At the Albion Court on Thursday, a woman was charged over possession of counterfeit US currency, which she allegedly used to a pay a vendor at the Port Mourant market.
Magistrate Fabayo Azore granted Devi Mohamed Bhagoo, 46, bail in the sum of $180,000. The court heard that on January 10, Bhagoo went to the Port Mourant market and issued a fake US$100 (equivalent of $20,000) to vendor Sarita Narine to purchase a bucket of shrimp. The shrimp cost $9,000 and Bhagoo was given $11,000 change. Reports are that the following day, she returned to the market to purchase another bucket of shrimp and again produced a US$100 bill when she was arrested.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Satrohan Dayaram told the court that Narine went to change the money and she was told that it was counterfeit. She immediately informed the police. When the woman returned the following day and tried to utter the note, Narine again called the police and Bhagoo was promptly arrested.
The prosecutor asked for bail to be refused on the grounds that the defendant lives out of the jurisdiction and would not return to court for her trial.
However, attorney Rabindranauth Singh successfully argued for his client to be granted bail.
Bhagoo was admitted to $80,000 bail for the uttering charge and $100,000 bail for the possession charge.
