GRDB fraud trial… Court exhibits for Former Accountant case go missing

Jan 04, 2020 News

It appears that the court exhibits handed over by Special Prosecutor Patrice Henry in relation to the case of Former Accountant of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Peter Ramcharran, have gone missing.
Ramcharran is to lead a defence in relation to the five charges made out against him for the falsification of accounts, and he had opted to call two witnesses in his defence, Leslie Veersammy and Nigel Hinds.
Yesterday, as Veersammy was leading his evidence, the defence asked that an exhibit be shown to the witness to assist with his evidence to the court.
However, when Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who is presiding over the case, asked for the court exhibits, the clerk could not find them.
The matter then continued with the magistrate using the defence’s copy of the exhibits while the court clerk made checks for the court’s copy. The matter was even stood down for five minutes to allow the clerk to leave and check in the main office of the court for the exhibits.
But, when the clerk returned, she related to the magistrate that she was unable to find the exhibits. Veersammy completed his evidence-in-chief and was also cross-examined by the prosecution.
Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, who is now representing the defence, made a request for the forensic audit report which was done by the State on GRDB to be brought to the court.
He was granted permission to write a letter to the necessary authority to request the report. The report was done by Nigel Hinds and the defence wishes to have this witness testify in relation to that also. The matter was then adjourned to Monday, January 6.
The 39-year-old defendant is having his trial conducted in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Special Prosecutor Henry, who is working for the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), is representing the state in this matter
Ramcharran 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.

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