The High Court has intervened in what appears to be a forgery of documents in two property matters between Caricom General Insurance Co. Inc and Fidelity Investments Inc.
In the High Court on Monday, orders were entered by Chief Justice Ian Chang instructing the Registrar of Deeds and Registrar of the Supreme Court not to treat as valid six notices of Discontin-uance and six Notices of Withdrawal of Opposition purportedly filed by a reputable law firm. The firm however denies ever issuing such Notices and wrote the Registrar of the Supreme Court and Registrar of Deeds to this effect.
The saga began in 2012 when Fidelity Investment Inc sought to transfer two properties to Caricom General Insurance. Co. Inc., another member of the same group. Gafsons Limited, through their attorneys, on December 27, 2012 immediately intervened to oppose the transports since the companies were said to owe Gafsons substantial sums and it feared that the transfer of the properties was a means to prevent Gafsons pursuing its debts.
Pleadings in the matter were closed and a request for hearing was filed on June 17, 2013. However, legal sources say that while Gafsons was awaiting fixture for hearing someone submitted forged documents purportedly issued by Gafson’s attorney withdrawing the six oppositions and six actions. An attempt was made to pass the transport based on the forged withdrawals.
However, the allegedly forged documents came to the attention of the authorities and the transports were not issued to Caricom General Insurance Co. Inc., which if they were issued would have jeopardized Gafsons claim.
The orders by the High Court now effectively block the transports and sets the stage for an investigation into the alleged forgeries. The plaintiff in three of the cases was National Investments Limited of Lots 1 and 2 Area `X’ Houston and in the other three GAFSONS Indus-tries Limited of Lots 1 and 2 Area `X’ Houston. The defendant in all six matters was Fidelity Investment Inc of Lot `A’ Ocean View Drive, Ruimzigt Gardens., West Coast Demerara.
