Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
Man, pregnant wife charged for scamming persons of house lots
A man, who told the court that he is an undercover agent attached to the Major Crimes Investigations Unit, and his wife who is seven months pregnant were yesterday charged and remanded to prison on allegations of house lot scams.
The couple Rajeshwar Persaud, 57, and Renika Rajbance, 19, both appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The first charge against Persaud stated that on May 29, 2018 at Charlotte Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he induced Renika Rajbance to affix her name to an arrangement of sale and purchase for a property at Lot 186 Prospect, East Bank Demerara for $1,720,000 in favour of Rodwell Fortune and Dorigen Fortune, in order that it may afterwards be converted to valuable security property of Renika Rajbance.
Charged Renika Rajbance
It was further alleged that on July 31, 2018 at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, with intent to defraud, he induced Renika Rajbance to affix her name to an arrangement of sale and purchase for a property at Lot 34 being a part of 28 Plantation, Friendship, East Bank Demerara, for the amount of $1M in favour of Amanda Sooklall, in order that it may afterwards be converted to valuable security property of Renika Rajbance.
The last charge stated that on November 1, 2018 at Charlotte Street with intent to defraud, he induced Renika Rajbance to affix her name to an arrangement of sale and purchase for the property at Lot 186 Prospect for the amount of $3M in favour of Waleima Singh, in order that it may afterwards be converted to valuable security property of Renika Rajbance.
Persaud denied all the allegations after they were read to him.
Police Prosecutor Richard Harris stated that Persaud is known to the police. He was previously charged and convicted for similar offences.
The Prosecutor added that 10 more investigations are currently on going as it relates to the selling of plots of lands across Georgetown.
The Prosecutor went on to tell the court that the defendant is a witness in the murder of businessman, Godfrey Scipio, called Sagga, who was killed on October 12, 2018.
Derwin Eastman, who was once Best Cop for ‘A’ Division and his colleague, Jemison Williams, who were both attached to the Brickdam Police Station, are currently on remand for the capital offence.
Eastman and Williams was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that on October 12, 2018, at David Street, Kitty, Georgetown, they murdered Godfrey Scipio. The Preliminary Inquiry (PI) is currently on going before a City Magistrate.
Charged Rajeshwar Persaud
The Prosecutor further went on to tell the court that Persaud was evading the police both as a witness and a suspect. The court heard it was only recently that he was held by police in Suriname and brought back to Guyana by ranks of the Major Crimes Investigations Unit,
The Prosecutor told the court that upon his arrest, he was found with 96 passports in his possession.
Prosecutor Harris made serious objections to bail being granted to Persaud citing that he is a flight risk.
Meanwhile, the charges against Persaud’s wife stated that on November 1, 2018 at Charlotte Street, Georgetown with intent to defraud, she obtained a sum of $3M from Waleima Singh for a property at Lot 186 Prospect by falsely pretending that she was in a position to sell that property, knowing same to be false.
It was further alleged that on July 31, 2018 at Eccles with intent to defraud, she obtained a sum of $1M from Amanda Sooklall for a property at Lot 34 being a part of 28 Plantation Friendship, East Bank Demerara, which is the property of Nalini Rajbance, by falsely pretending that she was in a position to sell that property, knowing same to be false.
She also pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
The woman, who cried throughout the court proceedings, pleaded with the Magistrate to grant her bail citing that she is pregnant.
However, the Magistrate remanded her to prison on the basis that investigations are still ongoing and the nature of the offences.
The couple was instructed to make their next court appearance on February 28 and March 13, next, respectively for report on the matter.
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