A Nigerian man, accused of attempting to defraud two stores of items totaling over $1 million, was yesterday remanded to prison.
Nigerian national Bab Razakie told city magistrate Judy Latchman that he purchased items from two different stores using an American Express card belonging to a Brazilian national because she didn’t know English.
One of the charges read to the 36-year-old man stated that between January 9 and January 13, at Georgetown, with the intent to defraud, he obtained from Lucky Dollar a washing machine, a TV set and other articles, totaling $582,495, by virtue of an American Express card, in the name of Alclara Adolino, knowing same to be forged.
The second charge alleged that he committed the same offence on January 10 at Wellington Street when he attempted to purchase two iPhones, having a total value of $550,000, using the same card.
Although Razakie told the magistrate that he did attempt to purchase the articles for his non-English speaking friend, his plea was changed to not guilty.
The defendant told the court that he has been living in Brazil for some years now and came to Guyana on Saturday.
Police Prosecutor Vishnu Hunt objected to bail on the bases that the defendant is not a Guyanese national coupled with the fact that there are four others matters pending involving purchases made at Muneshwer’s.
Magistrate Latchman subsequently denied the man bail and remanded him to prison until February 16, when he is to appear before the Chief Magistrate.
Meanwhile, a 37-year-old woman met a similar fate after she was accused of attempting to knowingly defraud a cashier at Courts with a forged American Express card.
This charge when read to Allanah Aallam by Magistrate Latchman saw the woman denying the allegation.
According to the prosecution, other charges are pending as the police are in the process of verifying other documents that were on the defendant. Her next court appearance will be before the Chief Magistrate on February 16 as well.
