Latest update March 22nd, 2025 6:44 AM
Latest News
- “Guyana will not be intimidated, coerced” – President Ali tells Maduro
- PNCR maintains it will engage experts on ring-fencing only when in office – Elson Low
- Israel threatens annexation after expanding ground offensive in Gaza
- 𝐆𝐂𝐂𝐈 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 w𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭
- Teen killed in accident after pulling steering wheel during row with boyfriend
Magistrate dismisses case against Balwant Persaud
Balwant Persaud
Magistrate Dale Kingston on Monday dismissed a case against Canadian Immigration Consultant Balwant Persaud following no case submissions by his attorney Glenn Hanoman.
Persaud was on trial on allegations that he falsely collected money from a woman with the intention of obtaining a Canadian student visa for her.
He was placed on $1M bail pending the outcome of the trial, which commenced early last year. Persaud’s lawyer successfully argued that there was no case for his client to answer since all the evidence presented pointed to another party.
According to the attorney, the Virtual Complainant, Nadira Mohan, by her own admission, indicated that she had relieved Persaud of all commitments and had transferred her transaction to one Alim Samad.
He also argued that since Mohan had filed a civil action against Samad, the case against his client was null and void. He pointed to the fact that in the civil matter against Samad, the Virtual Complainant is seeking to recover the same money that was mentioned in the criminal matter against his client.
Hanoman argued that the prosecution failed to prove that Persaud falsely pretended that he was in a position to obtain a genuine Canadian visa.
According to Hanoman, his client did advertise as a bona fide Canadian Immigration Consultant, and all transactions with the Virtual Complainant were governed by comprehensive written agreements that were all tendered as exhibits during the trial.
“The Prosecution tendered absolutely no evidence to suggest that the accused pretended to be anything other than what he held himself out to be,” Hanoman stated.
“In this sense, this matter is radically different from the run-of-the-mill backtrack con that is so pervasive in Guyana. The accused in this case is qualified professionally in this field and is authorized to assist persons to immigrate to Canada,” the attorney added.
He said that in this case the contractual agreements could only give rise to civil proceedings as opposed to a criminal charge.
Hanoman said that to compound matters for the prosecution, the Virtual Complainant admitted in open court that she had terminated all her arrangements with his client and viewed Alim Samad as her new representative to obtain the visa.
Magistrate Kingston after listening to the submissions upheld them and dismissed the charge against the accused.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Following one’s conscience rather than the crowd
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- “They’re certainly entitled to think that, and they’re entitled to full respect... more
If Guyana’s President Ali is the “Zelensky of the Caribbean”, who is the Putin?
Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS, Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- In the latest... more
Weekend Cartoon
