GRA officer, Public Security staffers charged for forging tint permits

Sep 29, 2017 News

Four men, including employees of the Guyana Revenue Authority and Ministry of Public Security, were yesterday granted bail by Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman for allegedly conspiring with others to commit a felony that is to say forgery.
It is alleged that between March 1 and September 25, at Georgetown, Dhanesh Dyal, 23, of Lot 235 Mon Repos, East Bank Demerara, a data entry clerk at the Ministry of Public Security; Chaitram Persaud, 24 of Lot 83 Second Street Mon Repos, East Bank Demerara, a mechanic at the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and 23- year-old Richard Mohan, Data Entry Clerk at Ministry of Public Security , of Lot 49 Better Hope, South East Coast Demerara, conspired with persons to forge one motor vehicle tint permit, purported to show that the document was issued by the Ministry of Public Security.
The trio pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to them by the magistrate.
Dyal was represented by attorney Mark Waldron, while Persaud was represented by attorney Savannah Barnwell and Mohan was represented by Mark Conway. The attorneys asked that bail be granted to their clients citing they have no previous or pending matters.
The accused were each granted $100,000 bail by the magistrate.
Meanwhile, 25-year-old Azad Mohamed , a businessman of Lot 74 Better Hope, East Coast Demerara , denied the charged which read that on September 25 at Georgetown , with intent to defraud, he uttered to Police Constable Jamal George, one forged motor vehicle tint permit, purported to show that same was issued by Ministry of Public Security, knowing same to be forged.

Azad Mohamed

Dhanesh Dyal

He was represented by Attorney-at-law Glen Hanoman who asked that bail be granted to his client.
Hanoman told the court that his client cooperated fully with the investigators, outlining the details about the documents that he supplied to officials at the Ministry of Public Security.
The lawyer added that officials at the Ministry of Public Security are also being investigated.
The defendant was ordered to post bail in the sum of $100,000.
Facts presented by Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves stated that Mohamed, who is the owner of a car, between March 1 and September 25, met with two of his friends, Richard and Mohan.
The court heard that Mohan told Mohamed that he knows someone at GRA who was in the position to get him a tint permit which would cost $70,000. Mohamed then gave Mohan the money along with his car documents.
The court heard that Mohan gave the money to Persaud and a few days after Persaud gave Dyal a tint permit which he in return passed on to Mohamed.

Richard Mohan

Chaitram Persaud

The prosecutor added that on September 25, Mohamed while driving was stopped by a police officer because of the tint on his car windows.
As a result, he was asked to produce his tint certificate and the said permit was discovered to be forged.
He was then arrested and gave a caution statement, and subsequently the other three were arrested.
The four men will make their next court appearance on October 5, where they will be arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for statements and assignments.