Already facing 48 charges, Jashodra Bahadur was slapped with 10 more counts of forgery and embezzlement when she appeared in a city court yesterday.
It is alleged that between August 2, 2014 and December 24, 2014, Bahadur, 37, of Lot 18 Block CC Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD), with intent to defraud, forged a number of New Horizon Incorporated bills, amounting to $438,862 and purporting to have been issued to the Distribution Services Limited (DSL).
It was also alleged that between the same periods, the accused, while being a clerk or servant at New Horizon Incorporated, fraudently embezzled $175,339 in cash.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges when she appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court 1.
Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru told the court the accused was employed at the New Horizon Incorporated as a Senior Sales Representative and her job permitted her to give credit on behalf of the business. Bahadur allegedly sold items from the business for cash but claimed that they were taken on credit.
Mangru objected to bail while noting that Bahadur was on bail for offences of similar nature when she committed the crimes. He also cited that seriousness of the offences and the penalty they attract, while noting that if granted bail there is a likelihood that she will not return for trial.
The court also heard that while Bahadur is facing multiples charges, investigations are still ongoing and more charges are likely to be laid. Attorney Latchmie Rahamat renewed her application for bail to be granted to Bahadur, while asking the court to take into consideration the fact that the offences are bailable and her client has every intention of attending court whenever she is needed.
Bail was refused and the accused is expected to make her next court appearance on May 8.
Bahadur was charged in December, 2013, with stealing $13M by forging cheques. For these offences she was placed on $2.6 million bail and is currently being tried before Magistrate Judy Latchman. However, while on bail, she was charged again with another 15 charges of the same nature last week Friday, when she was remanded to prison.
