A former Deeds Registry clerk was last Friday arraigned on 12 charges of fraud and embezzlement.
Kevin Singh, 19, of Lot 418 Section ‘C’ Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, was placed on $120,000 bail by acting Chief Priya Sewnarine Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ court. Singh was not required to plea to the indictable charges.
It was alleged that Singh in 2009, employed as a clerk at the Deeds Registry, at the Supreme Court, Georgetown, with the intent to defraud, made or concurred in altering receipts in a receipt book belonging to the Government of Guyana.
It was alleged that he altered a receipt for $150,000, paid by R. Jackson, to $101,471; a receipt for $100,000, paid by L. Hanoman, to $50,000; a receipt for $48,000, paid by law firm Hughes Fields and Stoby, to $38,000; a receipt for $25,000, paid by attorney Poonai, to $21,000; a receipt for $106,250, paid by L. Hanoman, to $61,250; and a receipt for $263,000, paid by L. Hanoman, to $243,000.
In addition, it was alleged that on June 15, 2009, the accused was entrusted with the sum of $265,000 and embezzled $20,000; on Wednesday June 17, 2009, he was entrusted with sums of $100,000, $40,000 and $48,000 and embezzled $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000, respectively; on June 24, 2009, he was entrusted with the sum of $106,250 and he embezzled $45,000; and on August 4, entrusted with the sum of $150,000, he embezzled $48,529.
Attorney Hookumchand, who represented Singh, sought bail on the grounds that his client was placed on $25,000 station bail, cooperated with the police and even lodged his passport at the police headquarters. He further said that at the time of employment, the accused was only 16 years old and he questioned why his client was even entrusted with the responsibility of handling such large amounts of money at such a tender age. The attorney charged that it was Singh’s supervisor who pinned the blame on him.
The matter was transferred to Court Two for report and fixture on October 27.
