A man accused of stealing $1.6M from his employer and making a false entry in a receipt book also belonging to his employer was yesterday remanded to prison after appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
The allegation against Sheldon Burgess is that between February 7 and December 30, 2011, being employed as a clerk or servant with Wayne James, proprietor of Interstate Battery, he stole $1.6M from James, his employer.
Additionally, on June 17, 2011, Burgess is accused of wilfully making a false entry in a receipt book numbered 2715 belonging to James that he had received $100,000 instead of $150,000 from Drummer’s Vulcanizing; knowing same to be false.
The accused who resides at 63 Vigilance North, East Coast Demerara was not required to plead to the indictable charges when they were read to him at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Presenting the prosecution’s facts, Police Corporal Jairam Luckhai said that the accused was employed with the virtual complainant (VC) at the time the frauds were detected.
According to Luckhai, Burgess was employed in a capacity requiring him to collect money from customers and issue receipts on behalf of his employer.
The prosecutor told the court that the receipts had to be written in triplicate, but the VC upon checking discovered that the document was only being reproduced in duplicate.
Further investigations via audit, Luckhai said, revealed that the sum of $1.6M was unaccounted for.
Meanwhile, on another transaction done with Drummer’s Vulcanizing, James discovered that Burgess had falsely entered in a receipt book that he had received only $100,000 from the customer instead of $150,000; $50,000 being unaccounted for.
The matter was subsequently reported to the police who launched an investigation, leading to the defendant being arrested and charged.
The prosecution objected to the unrepresented Burgess being admitted to bail, stating that additional charges against him are likely to be laid shortly and if granted bail, the accused may not return to stand trial.
After listening to the case, the presiding magistrate informed the accused that he would be remanded to prison. His matter was transferred to Court Three for tomorrow.
