A Columbian national was yesterday remanded to prison after denied that he stole over $1M from the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) using a fake ATM card.
Freddy Rival, 42, was arraigned on six counts of simple larceny at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The charges state that between July 17th and July 21st, he stole $1,050,000, which was the property of the GBTI.
Rival allegedly stole a total of $580,000 from an ATM at Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara on two separate occasions and $90,000 from an ATM at Providence, East Bank Demerara. It was also alleged that he stole a total of $290,000 from an ATM at Water Street, Georgetown on two separate occasions and $90,000 from an ATM at Lethem, Central Rupununi.
Prosecutor Deniro Jones told Magistrate Ann McLennan that a guard saw Rival making withdrawals with a fake ATM card and contacted the police. He also stated that a number of fake cards were found in Rival’s possession upon his arrest.
Jones noted that there are images of Rival making withdrawals and the times were also recorded. The prosecutor objected to bail on grounds that Rival has no ties to Guyana and that he is a possible flight risk.
Rival was represented by attorney Peter Hugh, who stated that his client is a former Major in the Columbian army who is currently employed at a security firm in Bogotá, Columbia.
Hugh then indicated that this was his client’s first trip to Guyana and that incarceration would be difficult due to him not having family in the country. The attorney pleaded for reasonable bail and told the court that Rival’s passport was in police custody, therefore he poses no risk of flight.
He also said the man is a husband and father of two.
Despite his submissions, bail was denied and the matter was adjourned until August 10th.
