Five persons who are accused of forging several cheques to the value of $19.4 million in the name of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) were yesterday brought before the court and charged.
The accused: Romeshchand Singh, 40, of Back Street Squatting Area Grove, East Bank Demerara; Komalram Persaud, a 25-year-old minibus driver of Lot 471 Section C Block ‘Y’ Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara; Devindra Moteeram also known as ‘Richard’, 24, of Lot 1 Jackson Dam, East La Penitence, Georgetown; Anush Khan, 29, of Lot 89 Section ‘C’, Block ‘Y’, Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara and Shareesa Tappin, a 26-year-old hairdresser of Lot 24 Clifford Avenue, Lamaha Park, Georgetown all appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
The charge states that Singh, between October 28th, 2020 and May 11th, 2021 while in the vicinity of Georgetown, conspired with Persaud, Moteeram, Khan, and other persons, to forge a Bank of Guyana cheque dated April 9th, 2021 amounting to $9,550,000, purporting to show that it was issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority, Internal Revenue Department, knowing same to be forged.
A second charge stated that Singh between October 28th, 2020 and May 11th, 2021 conspired with Persaud, Moteeram, Khan, Tappin, and other persons, to forge a Bank of Guyana cheque dated April 20th, 2021 to a total of $9,875,000, purporting to show that it was issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority, Internal Revenue Department knowing same to be forged.
Particulars of the offence state that Shareesa Tappin on May 11th, 2021, while in the vicinity of Georgetown at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited, Regent Street branch, and with the intent to defraud, uttered to Afsaanah Azimullah, a bank teller, one forged Bank of Guyana cheque dated 2021-04-20 amounting to $9,875,000 in favour of the said Shareesa Tappin, purporting to show that same was issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority, Internal Revenue Department knowing same to be forged.
On the said day and place she also with intent to defraud endeavoured to collect the sum of $9,875,000 from the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited, Regent Street branch, dated 2021-04-20, amounting to $9,875,000 in favour of the said Shareesa Tappin, purporting to show that same was issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority, Internal Revenue Department knowing same to be forged.
The five were not allowed to plead to the indictable charges.
The Magistrate in her ruling granted bail to Singh, Persaud, Moteeram, and Khan for the two charges in the sum of $600,000 each, with the condition that they report to Assistant Superintendent Caesar every other Monday until the hearing and determination of the trial.
However, Tappin who was charged with uttering a forged document and for endeavoring upon a forged document, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was subsequently remanded to prison due to the fact that she is presently serving a sentence in relation to another matter.
The matter was adjourned to June 21st, 2021.
Meanwhile, as the investigation continues it is also believed that there may have been more cheques which were cashed at other banks.
Reports reaching this newspaper revealed that the discovery was made after an employee of the bank reached out to GRA for confirmation on the issuance of the cheques.
