Ex-Policeman charged again with fraud, granted $1.3M bail
Ex-Policeman, 46-year-old Paul Watson was granted bail totalling $1.3M after he was slapped with seven fraud-related charges.
Watson, a father of two, of Lot 317 Zeeburg, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), who was represented by Attorney-at-Law Bernard DaSilva, appeared in court on Tuesday.
Particulars of the four charges stated that between February and November 2019, at Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD), Watson obtained $2, 787, 000 from virtual complainant, Sharda Bramdeo by falsely pretending to her that he was a Police officer and, in a position, to file a Notice of Appeal, knowing same to be false.
Watson pleaded not guilty to the charges when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Sepaul at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court. Magistrate Ally-Seepaul granted him $800,000 bail and adjourned the case until May 15.
Before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court, Watson faced three similar charges to which he pleaded not guilty. He was granted bail in the sum of $500,000 and ordered to return to court on May 16.
This is not the first time the former Policeman has been charged for such an offence. In fact, in 2017 and in 2021, he was charged with allegedly obtaining tens of thousands of dollars from two men by claiming he was in a position to get them a firearm licence.
In relation to the 2017 matter, the court was told that during 2015, Govind Sundar, who is a businessman, had applied for a firearm licence and had submitted all the relevant documents at the Brickdam Police Station.
He later received a call from Watson, who claimed that he was an Inspector of Police and that the Police would have to visit him to find out the type of person he is.
Several weeks later, Sundar received another call from Watson, who told him that he needed $300,000 to process the application.
According to the 2021 charge, Watson allegedly collected over $400,000 from the virtual complaintaint by pretending he was in a position to get him a gun licence.
This publication is, however, unaware of the legal status of these two matters.
