Two Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) clerks were among four persons charged on Friday with forging several cheques to the value of $19.4 million in the name of the revenue collection agency.
The two clerks, Ivor Dowridge, 26, of Lot 35 Second Street, Cummings Lodge and Tooqwan Clarke, 25, of Lot 264 West Ruimveldt Georgetown, where jointly charged along with Leroy Green, 26, an accountant of Lot 31 William Street, Kitty, and Randi Gladstone, 38.
They appeared in a city court before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, who read two conspiracy to commit a felony charges to them.
It is alleged that between October 28, 2020 and May 11, 2021, at Georgetown, Gladstone conspired with Green, Dowridge, Clarke, Romeshchand Singh, Komalram Persaud, Devindra Moteeram, and other persons to forge a Bank of Guyana cheque, dated April 9, amounting to $9,550,000 purporting to show that same was issued by the GRA’s Internal Revenue Department, knowing same to be forged.
It is also alleged that between October 28, 2020 and May 11, 2021, at George-town, Gladstone conspired with Green, Dowridge, Clarke, Singh, Persaud, Moteeram, and other persons to forge
a Bank of Guyana cheque, dated April 20, amounting to $9,875,000, in favor of Shareesa Tappin, purporting to show that same was issued by the GRA’s Internal Revenue Department, knowing same to be forged.
They were not required to plea to the charges. Green, Dowridge and Clarke were placed on $300,000 bail for each charge. Conditions for their bail are that they lodge their passports with the court and report to the police every Monday until the determination of trial. However, Gladstone was remanded after the court heard that he has another matter before the court. He is accused of committing fraud at the Ministry of Business.
The matters were adjourned until June 2.
On Tuesday, Singh, Persaud, Moteeram, Tappin and Anush Khan were charged. Singh, Persaud, Moteeram, and Khan were placed on $600,000 bail each, while Tappin, who is currently serving a sentence, was not.
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.
