Five charged for encashing, forging GRA cheques

Five persons who are accused of encashing  a $9.8M forged Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) cheque at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) Regent Street, Georgetown branch appeared in Court today.

One of them was remanded to prison while the other four were granted $600,000 bail each.

Those charged are Romeschand Singh, 40, of Back Street, Squatting Area, Grove, East Bank Demerara; Komalram Persaud, 25, of 471 Section C Block Y, Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara; Devindra Moteeram, 24, of Jackson Dam, East La Penitance, Mandela Avenue, Georgetown; Anush Khan, 29, of 89 Section C Block Y, Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara; and Shareesa Tappin, 26, of 24 Clifford Avenue, Georgetown.

They appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The first charge stated that Romeschand Singh between October 28,2020 and May 11,2021 at Georgetown, conspired with Komalram Persaud, Devindra Moteeran, Anush Khan and other persons to forge one Bank of Guyana cheque #08-251478, dated 2021-04-09 amounting to $9,875, 000, purporting to show that same was issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority, Internal Revenue Department, knowing same to be forged.

The second charge stated that Romeschand Singh between October 28,2020 and May 11,2021 at Georgetown, conspired with Shareesa Tappin, Komalram Persaud, Devindra Moteeran, Anush Khan and other persons to forge one Bank of Guyana cheque #08-252760, dated 2021-04-20 amounting to $9,875,000 in favor of Shareesa Tappin purporting to show that same was issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority, Internal Revenue Department, knowing same to be forged.

It was further alleged that Shareesa Tappin on May 11,2021, at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited Regent Street,  Georgetown, with intent to defraud, uttered to Afsaanah Azimullah, a Bank Teller, one forged Bank of Guyana cheque #08-252760 dated 2021-04-20 amounting to $9,875,000, in favor of the said Shareesa Tappin, purporting to show that same was issued by the the Guyana Revenue Authority, Internal Revenue Department, knowing same to be forged.

It was further alleged that Shareesa Tappin on May 11,2021, at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited Regent Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud endeavored the sum of $9,875,000 from the said bank  under, upon or by virtue of a forged instrument, that is to say, one Bank of Guyana cheque #08-252760, dated 202-04-20 amounting to $9,875,000 in favor 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.

They were not required to plead to the indictable charges after they were read to them by the magistrate. Singh, Persaud, Moteeram and Khan were all granted $600,000 bail each. Condition of the bail is that they report to the Assistant Superintendent of Police Mitchell Caesar every other Monday until the hearing and determination of the trial.

Meanwhile, Tappin was remanded to prison for the offense. They were all instructed to make their next court appearance on June 21.

According to reports, the Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry recently processed several fake cheques from the Guyana Revenue Authority.

Upon the discoveries, the matters were reported to the Guyana Police Force and investigations were launched.