An electrician was fined $15,000 for attempting to fraudulently cash Government bonds issued to a doctor. Ram Bhimul, 48, a father of three, of San Francique Road, Penal, also was placed on a $5,000 bond on each of two offences of uttering forged identification. Justice Anthony Carmona yesterday commended former Fraud Squad detectives, acting Supt Terry Young and Insp Nyron Dookeran, for their professional work in the case. "Nyron Dookeran and Terry Young assisted and ensured the case was watertight," Carmona said. He said he planned to instruct the Registrar of the Supreme Court to write to the Commissioner of Police to issue letters of commendation to the officers. Carmona also praised former Republic Bank teller, Arianne Seecharan-Ramdeo, whose "diligence" in spotting the false documents and alerting the police, resulted in the arrest of Bhimul. But as he sentenced the accused from the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court, he expressed concern the fraudulent identification was not spotted by tellers at Bourse Securities Ltd. "I need to express my concern about the employees of Bourse (Securities) who had direct contact with the accused," he said.
He warned that they be more vigilant and reminded the court that had it been in the United States, they could have been subject to investigation and possibly criminal charges. He also expressed concern at how the accused got his hands on Government bonds belonging to opthalmologist Dr Robin Hosein. He was, however, soon at ease to know the Ministry of Health, through which Hosein purchased the bonds, had taken steps to ensure there was no such occurrence again. Bhimul pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a four-count indictment on charges of attempting to defraud Republic Bank Ltd and Bourse Securities, as well as producing a forged driver's licence and identification card. Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo and Lee Merry represented the state. The charges stem from an incident on October 3, 2007, when he went to Bourse Securities with Government bonds bearing the name Robin Hosein. Six cheques were issued to him as he cashed in the bond certificates.
Two days later, he went to Republic's Promenade Centre on Independence Square, Port-of-Spain, where he attempted to cash the cheques, totalling $34,540.20. There, he met Seecharan-Roberts and first gave to her a fraudulent identification card. When she questioned the authenticity of the document, Bhimul handed her a forged driver's permit. Both bore the name Robert Hosein. She alerted the police and Bhimul was arrested. He was given until March 31, 2011, to pay the fines or serve three years' hard labour in default. He also was ordered to be of good behaviour for one year as a condition of the bond.