Jamal Gilbert, the man who was charged with forging audits reports and giving false information to the police, has been fined a total of $375,000 after pleading guilty to five charges at what was slated to be the commencement of his trial.
Gilbert, 31, of Ogle Front, East Coast Demerara, had appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where he had denied the charges and was released on $100,000 bail.
The magistrate then transferred the matters to Courts 8&9, where Gilbert was due to be tried by Magistrate Annette Singh.
However, when the trial was about to commence on Thursday, Gilbert changed his not guilty pleas and admitted guilt and he was fined $75,000 for each of the offences.
The first charge stated that between January 1st, 2019 and March 5th, 2019 at Middle Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he forged an auditor’s report in favour of Midtown Hotel Restaurant and Bar, purporting to show that same was signed by Drubahadur and issued by D. Bahadur, knowing same to be forged.
The second charge stated that between January 1st, 2019 and March 5th, 2019 at Middle Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he forged an auditor’s report in favour of Total Medical Supplies Inc. purporting to show that same was signed by Drubahadur and issued by D. Bahadur, knowing same to be forged.
The third charge stated that on March 5th, 2019, at the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Camp Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he uttered to Reon Sobers, a clerk at GRA, a forged auditor’s report in favour of Total Medical Supplies Inc. purporting to show that same was signed by Drubahadur and issued by D. Bahadur, knowing same to be forged.
It was further alleged that on March 5th, 2019 at the Guyana Revenue Authority, Camp Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he uttered to Reon Sobers, a forged auditor’s report in favour of Midtown Hotel Restaurant and Bar purporting to show that same was signed by Drubahadur and issued by D. Bahadur, knowing same to be forged.
The last charge stated that on March 29th, at the Criminal Investigation Department, he gave Police Lance Corporal Prince, a Public Officer, information orally and in writing which he knew to be false, thereby causing the said officer to use his lawful power to the annoyance of the person arrested.
According to information provided by Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh during Gilbert’s arraignment, Drubahadur went to the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters and reported that he was in possession of two audit reports which had his signature and purported to show that they were issued by his business. Bahadur explained to the police that he had not signed the documents and that his business never issued any such documents.
An investigation was carried out as a result of the complaint and D. Bahadur was arrested. He then allegedly told ranks that it was Gilbert who forged the documents for him. Gilbert was then arrested and questioned.
As a result of Gilbert being questioned, it was alleged that he was the one who forged D. Bahadur’s signatures on the documents in question and later submitted same to GRA.
