Clerk granted $4.5M bail on fraud, larceny charges

Jan 06, 2010 News

Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo set bail in the sum of $4.5M cash for 26-year-old Marcia Seegobin, who pleaded not guilty to stealing almost $7M from her employer, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).
Seegobin, of 39 Second Street, Swamp Section, Rose Hall Town, a clerk attached to the DDL Chapel Street Branch in New Amsterdam, is accused of stealing the money during the time she was employed with the company, between October 2008 and January 2009.
Although the woman was detained since early last year, the matter was only called up yesterday in the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Satrohan Dayaram objected to bail being granted to Seegobin, who is facing charges on 16 counts of larceny by clerk or servant.
According to the police facts on the matter, it is alleged that between October 1, 2008 and January 28, 2009, while Seegobin was employed at the beverage company, she stole $6.8M, property of the said company.
The fraud was uncovered after an audit was conducted and it was later revealed that the said sum of money was missing.
The woman was initially arrested shortly after the discovery and the police sought the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions, before proceeding with the charges.
Inspector Dayaram put up the common argument against the granting of bail to the accused citing the nature, gravity and the prevalence of the offence.
He also cited the amount involved and suggested that if granted bail, the accused may not return for trial.
But Attorney-at-law Mursaline Bacchus who appeared for the accused argued that the offence was a bailable one and as such the accused should be given her pre-trial liberty.
The attorney noted that nature and gravity did not matter since the accused is a first offender and such an argument would nullify the notion of presumption of innocence.
In continuing his argument, the defence attorney stated that the police had previously put the accused on bail since February 2009 and if she wanted to escape she would have done so a long time ago.
He further argued that the accused was informed a week ago that she would be charged yesterday, and if she had wanted to, she would have escaped since then.
After listening to both sides, the magistrate granted bail and fixed January 15 as the next court date.

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