Prem Chand, who admitted to trying to bilk a man of $100,000 by pretending to be both a doctor as well as a patient in need of heart surgery, was yesterday fined $100,000 for the crime.
Chand, 43, faced a charge of attempting to commit a felony when he appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman in Georgetown.
He admitted that on October 4th, at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, he attempted to commit a felony, to wit, simple larceny, by pretending to be Dr Mahendra Carpen in order to obtain $100,000 from Frank Sanichara.
The court heard that Chand called Sanichara and pretended to be Dr Carpen and stated that a patient needed money for open heart surgery. He was subsequently invited to send the patient over.
The court heard that the complainant recognised the voice was not that of Dr Carpen, whom he called to verify if he sent someone to collect money from him. The doctor denied doing so.
After Chand went to Sanichara’s business place to collect the money he requested, Sanichara summoned the police. Chand was then arrested.
When Chand was asked by Magistrate Latchman if he had anything to say, the man told the court that he needed money for open heart surgery in January and that he committed the crime out of frustration.
Magistrate Latchman subsequently fined the man $100,000, with an alternative of six months in prison if he cannot pay the fine.
