Two men, who allegedly used a number of cheques to attempt purchases of pricey electronics such as Ipods, were yesterday arraigned on forgery charges.
Former minibus conductor Augustus Ryan, 21, of Lot 174 Middle Road, La Penitence and taxi driver Michael Budhoo, 52, of Lot 106 James Street, Albouystown, were granted bail in the sum of $1M and $125,000, respectively, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
It was alleged that between September 19 and October 10, Ryan uttered forged Citizens Bank cheques on nine occasions, including with Budhoo in one instance. The cheques represented amounts that totalled over $4M. Ryan was also charged with having possession of forged US currency notes. Not guilty pleas were entered for all the charges.
During the hearing yesterday, one of the Virtual Complainants (VC) stood up and said that the two men had accumulated more than $50M in goods from different persons and angrily said they “should be put away for the crimes they have committed.”
It was alleged that Ryan, on September 19, with intent to defraud, uttered a forged instrument to Global Technology for the purchase of four Apple iPods, valued at $475,000, using a Citizens Bank cheque showing same to be signed by Horace Williams.
On the same date, Ryan is alleged, with intent to defraud, to have presented a Citizens Bank cheque to Nesa Foster, knowing same to be forged. It was also alleged that on the same date, Ryan, conspiring with others, uttered a forged Citizens Bank cheque with the signature of Horace Williams, knowing same to be forged.
Ryan was also charged with presenting a forged instrument to Nesa Foster, showing same was signed by Horace Williams, on September 20.
He is also alleged to have presented a forged instrument to Global Technology for the purchases of 42 IPods, costing $2.1M, showing same to be signed by Horace Williams.
It was also alleged that on October 10, Ryan obtained a quantity of zinc sheets, valuing $278,080, by uttering a forged Citizens Bank cheque, purportedly signed by Horace Williams, to David’s Investments.
On the same date, with intent to defraud, Ryan is alleged to have uttered a forged Citizens Bank cheque to Claudette Smith knowing same to be forged. It is also alleged that Ryan and Budhoo, together with intent to defraud, uttered a Citizens Bank cheque showing same to be signed by Horace Williams.
Ryan was also was also charged with uttering, with intent to defraud, a Citizens Bank cheque for $1,724,000 for the purchase of six laptops and three iPods, purporting that it was signed by Horace Williams.
It was also alleged that on the date in question, without lawful authority, Ryan had in his possession two forged US$20 bills, knowing the same to be forged.
No further details relating to the charges were presented to the court.
Attorney Paul Fung-a-Fat, who represented both men, said to Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry that no property was handed over to the accused men, while adding that they were not even identified properly in a line-up.
In an appeal for bail, he said that his clients are “very poor men” and requested bail to be in a reasonable sum.
The prosecution had no objections to bail, but conditioned it on the men reporting to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) every Monday at 8am and that they lodge their passports and any other travel documents.
The Magistrate subsequently granted the prosecution’s request and bail was set in the sum of $125,000 and $1M for Budhoo and Ryan, respectively.
The duo will make their next court appearance in Court One on November 29.
