Contractors brought before the court for fraud

Sep 04, 2022 News

==The Court Journal==

By Renay Sambach

Kaieteur News – Recently, a contractor was sent to jail for misusing over $1 million of State funds that was allocated to purchase raw materials to build a school.

Myrvin George and Daniel Baker made their first court appearance

It was this development that prompted me to rehash a few court matters in which contractors were charged for allegedly misusing project money.

Forty-year-old Doorman Henry, who had reported to the police that he was robbed of $1.7 million he had received for a school project, was on Monday sentenced to two years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to gambling the money.

On Monday, August 29, Henry appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly who read the charge to him.

The charge stated that on August 17, 2022 at Main Street, Georgetown, while entrusted with $1.7 million by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to purchase materials for a school project, he converted same to his own use and benefit.

The court heard that on the day in question, the money was handed over to Henry by the Toshao of Yarakita Village, Region One, to purchase building materials to construct a hall at the Yarakita Primary School.

Jailed, Doorman Henry

However, after receiving the money, Henry went to a casino in Georgetown, where he lost the money through gambling over a three-day period. Henry later went to the Ruimveldt Police Station where he made a report that he was robbed by an armed bandit. An investigation was launched into the matter but Henry subsequently admitted that he gambled and lost the money.

Last December, a manager and a sub-contractor attached to Adamantium Holdings Company were released on $150,000 bail each for fraudulently obtaining $1.152 million from the said company for the delivery of 64 truckloads of laterite but failing to deliver same.

Myrvin George, 44, of Victoria Avenue, Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and Daniel Baker, of Mahaica Park, East Coast Demerara (ECD) had appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

They were not required to plead to the charge which stated that between October 31, 2021 and December 10, 2021, at 16 Sublot ‘A’ Mudlot, Kingston, Georgetown, with the intent to defraud, they obtained the sum of $1,152,000 from Adamantium Holdings by falsely pretending they delivered 64 truckloads of laterite, knowing the same to be false.

According to information presented in court, the company was awarded a contract by the Government of Guyana (GoG) to rehabilitate a stretch of road from 6 miles, Bartica, Potaro Road, to 19 miles, Bartica, Potaro Road.

However, it is alleged that the defendants worked with the company under the aforementioned transportation capacities and entered into agreements to provide trucking service for the said company transporting laterite from 9 Miles, Bartica Potaro Road to various parts of a stretch of road from 6 Miles, Bartica Potaro, to 19 Miles, Bartica Potaro, at a cost of $18,000 per truckload, which would be claimed for by sub-contractor Baker.

It was reported that thereafter, George, who is the manager, would report the number of truckloads that were transported and the company would issue payments at their office at 16 Sub-Lot ‘A’, Mud-Lot, Kingston, Georgetown.

On December 14, 2021, Adamantium Holdings issued payments totaling $5,346,000 for 297 truckloads of laterite, which were reported by George and claimed by Baker.

The company then received certain information and communicated same to its ranks and this led to a physical check of the worksite, by the ranks along with another manager who is responsible for the oversight of the said project.

Upon checking, it was discovered that 87 loads of laterite were along the said stretch of road. The same was double-checked by the manager’s record, which revealed an incomplete and inaccurate account.

Further record checks were made, which revealed that only 233 truckloads of laterite were on the security’s record, a difference of 64 less truckloads of laterite transported, which amounted to $1,152,000.

The accused were then contacted, told of the allegation, and they admitted under caution, to inflating the number of truckloads of laterite transported. The accused further handed over $220,000, stating that was received from Baker as payment for reporting more truckloads of laterite than were transported.

George and Barker were subsequently charged for the offence and placed before the court.

Back in 2017, a man, who converted money entrusted to him to purchase materials to build a house foundation, was charged for fraudulent conversion.

Dustin Jackson had admitted to using the money for his own use when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Leron Daly.

It was alleged that in February 2017, at Croal Street, Georgetown, Jackson, being solely entrusted with the sum of $70,000 by Claire Taylor to purchase a quantity of cement, converted the money to his own use and benefit. A similar charge read to him stated that in the same month, at Regent Street, Jackson, being solely entrusted with $94,500 by Taylor to purchase a quantity of steel and sand, fraudulently converted the money to his own use and benefit.

According to the prosecution’s case, Taylor, who was constructing a home at Mocha, had contracted the accused to complete it and sent him the cash to purchase building materials. The accused received the sums of $70,000 and $94,500 through a money transfer service but related that he had spent the money on his family, since he was not working. The matter was later reported to the police and Jackson was arrested.