Damion Bailey, a former Ministry of Home Affairs employee who allegedly pretended to be Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee in order to obtain a Samsung Galaxy S5 phone from Digicel, was placed on $200,000 bail after denying the charges yesterday.
Bailey, a computer programmer who lives at 336 Craig, East Bank Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
The charge against Bailey stated that on November 13, at Barrack and Fort Street, Kingston, he fraudulently obtained the cellphone, carrying a value of $130,000, from Akesia Richardson. The phone was the property of Digicel.
Prosecutor Michael Grant, who objected to bail, told the court that Bailey presented himself to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Digicel, claiming that he had been sent by Rohee to collect the item mentioned in the charge. Documents were prepared and the cell phone was handed over to the defendant. Shortly after he left with the cell phone, a call was made to the minister, who denied knowledge of the transaction.
The CEO then made contact with Bailey via the cell phone and told him to return to collect some other accessories for the device that had been left behind, the court was told. Upon his return, he was arrested and charged with the offence.
It was also reported that Bailey attempted to defraud a cell phone store using the same fabrication. That report is still being investigated by the police.
The cell phone has since been recovered.
Meanwhile, Bailey’s Attorney, Adrian Thompson, in his bid to secure bail for his client, told the court that the defendant has never been charged before. He added that the prosecution’s case should have stated that his client was sent to collect the phone. “Someone who wants to carry out a fraud will not produce an ID card and address,” the attorney stressed, before adding, that Bailey was once employed with the Ministry of Home Affairs. Thompson also claimed that his client was unwell and will need medical attention.
After hearing counsel’s bail application, Grant stated that Bailey had pretended to be Rohee and had placed a call prior to going to uplift the phone, claiming that he was Rohee and was sending someone to collect the said phone.
Despite the prosecutor’s objections, Bailey was granted $200,000 bail and he was ordered to return to court on December 22 for statements.
