The Kitty businesswoman who police accused of conducting an unlicensed bar from the bottom flat of her home was yesterday cleared of the charge.
Bibi Sattaur, 30, of lot 12 Station Street, Kitty, was discharged when she made a second appearance before the Chief Magistrate in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court 1.
She had initially appeared in court on February 13 accused of selling spirituous liquor without a licence and conducting an unlicensed business.
The allegations arose following a raid on her “Liquid Love” bar. Prosecutor Michael Grant had stated that police officers had gone to the woman’s home on February 12 to conduct a raid of a quantity of alcoholic beverages. Over 23 cases of alcohol were confiscated, including cases of Guinness beer, Stag beer, Corona, and Banks Beer.
Grant added that the woman was asked to produce her liquor license. Though she did, the license proved to be expired.
However, during yesterday’s proceedings it was revealed that though her licence had expired on December 31, 2013, Sattaur had already applied to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) for her 2014 licence and was awaiting its processing. This revelation led to her subsequent discharge.
The businesswoman had been out on her own recognisance before being discharged.
Another Station Street bar owner, Ravindra Samaroo, 47, had also been brought before the Chief Magistrate on similar charges on the same day that Sattaur had been charged.
Though the particulars of the charge against him was the same as that of Sattaur, Samaroo elected to plead guilty at his arraignment. Although he was due for sentencing, this newspaper was told that he is still before the court for the matter.
According to Prosecutor Grant, the raid conducted on Samaroo’s business, which he was also operating from the bottom flat of his home, uncovered over 130 bottles of varying beers.
