GRDB fraud case… “Prosecution on shaky ground”

Sep 25, 2019 News

– Attorney claimsin submission for former accountant

As one of the trials draws to a close for 39-year-old former accountant of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Peter Ramcharran, his attorney on Monday last made a no-case submission after the prosecution closed its case.

Peter Ramcharran

Ramcharran, who is being represented by attorney-at-law, Sase Gunraj, is facing 39 charges of fraudulent conversion and misappropriation, which allegedly took place between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2015. He had pleaded not guilty to all the charges which involved tens of millions of dollars. The total is said to be over $400M.
There are 17 charges of keeping fraudulent accounts, 16 for fraudulent appropriation and five for the falsification of accounts. The trial for the falsification of accounts is before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Two weeks ago, Special Prosecutor Patrice Henry, who is working for the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), closed his case.
In his submission, attorney Gunraj stated that the “prosecution is on shaky ground” as there is no proper case against his client and the prosecution has failed to prove every element of the case during the trial.
He also added that the main witness, Accountant Errol Chester, failed to present sufficient evidence in his testimony that Ramcharran had omitted entries from the General Ledger of GRDB, hence the basis of a no-case was presented.
After listening to the submission by the attorney, Magistrate McLennan adjourned the matter to September 30, when the special prosecutor is expected to respond to the no-case submission in writing.
Ramcharran, of 32 Area ‘G’ Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, was brought before the court after eluding the hearings for almost two years while in Canada.
Ramcharran had first applied for refugee status. After he was turned down in December, he sought a review of his extradition process but this, too, was turned down. In 2017, the Chief Magistrate had issued an arrest warrant for him.
The GRDB found itself in the spotlight after a forensic audit of that entity revealed a number of “anomalies”, such as loans without proper paperwork or promissory notes.

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