Two Indian nationals who conduct business in Guyana appeared yesterday before Magistrate Annette Singh at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court to face charges of obtaining money under false pretence.
It was alleged that Sunil Chumbak and Satender Kumar Singh, both of Happy Acres, East Coast Demerara, and being directors at Sunrise Resources Inc, on November 3, at Light and Sixth streets, Alberttown, Georgetown obtained the sum of $20 million from Brian Williams by falsely pretending to him that they were in possession of a plot of land for sale located at Wales Industrial Estate. Both Chumbak and Singh pled not guilty to the charge.
They were represented by attorney-at-law Keavon Bess who told the magistrate that both of the men are upstanding businessmen who are from India and have been doing business in Guyana for years. He added that they are not a flight risk.
The prosecutor however, objected to bail citing the seriousness of the offence and the amount stated in the charge. He requested that the file be sent back to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice and that the accused be directed to lodge their passports. The defence attorney countered that given the nature of his clients’ business, it may not be plausible. He added that the men have strong ties to Guyana and asked that reporting conditions be added instead.
The complainant, Williams, told the court that both men have a track record of doing bad business and asked that the court take his case seriously.
After consideration, the magistrate agreed that they should have reporting conditions and placed both men on $500,000 bail each,
The matter was adjourned to December 16 for reports.
