Two persons have appeared before a Master of the High Court, charged with Corruption and Fraud.
Sudesh Radhakissoon was charged with Misbehaviour in Public Office and Shantie Ramnarine-Parsan with two counts of Uttering Forged Documents when they appeared before Master Sarah De Silva, in the High Court on Thursday 14th November, 2024, to answer to the charges.
Radhakissoon was granted bail with surety in the sum of $100,000 while Ramnarine-Parsan was granted bail with surety in the sum of $200,000 to cover both charges. She was also instructed to surrender her passport and report to the Couva Police Station once a week.
The Sufficiency Hearing date was set for January 31st, 2025.
Reports indicate a woman went to the Licensing Authority in Caroni on April 6th, 2022, to transfer the title of a motor vehicle from the registered owner to herself.
In support of her application for the transfer, she submitted two documents, namely a purchase receipt and a Notice of Change of Ownership form. Both documents allegedly bore the name of the registered owner.
A male clerk at the Licensing Authority is alleged to have caused the transfer of the vehicle to the woman.
Subsequent investigations by the Licensing Authority into the transfer revealed that the registered owner had died approximately eight months prior to the transfer and as such, the documents presented were deemed to be fraudulent. It was also revealed that the vehicle in question was never physically present at the Caroni compound, as is required by law and the clerk was aware of this when he allegedly signed a document indicating that he saw it.
A report was made to the Fraud Squad and on November 12th, 2024, an operation spearheaded by Supt. Arnold Lutchman and ASP Davidson, supervised by Insp. Thomas, led by W/Sgt. Alcala and including W/Cpl Adams, Cpl Woodroffe, PCs Lutchman and Groome and WPC Gowrie, was conducted in the Southern and Central Divisions, resulting in the arrest of two suspects.
Instructions were subsequently received from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for the two suspects to be charged with the offences.
Members of the public are advised that persons from any agency, offering to assist with transactions which are not lawful, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.