A Barataria couple accused of defrauding former national security minister Jack Warner and his wife Maureen of close to $1.9 million reappeared in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court yesterday.However, the case was adjourned after Cpl Lisa Cudjoe, of the Fraud Squad, who laid the 114 charges against them, failed to attend the hearing.The court was told Cpl Cudjoe was on injury leave and was expected to return to duty later this month.
Magistrate Marcia Murray, who is presiding over the case in the First Court, adjourned the case to July 3 for a status hearing.Routie Sunita Rampersad, 42, and her husband Shivanand Bhagwandas, 56, both of 11th Street, Barataria, are alleged to have defrauded the Warners between September 2007 and March 2013.Rampersad is a former employee of the Centre of Excellence, Macoya, while her husband is a gardener.
It is alleged the couple cashed First Citizens, Independence Square, Port-of-Spain, cheques at Scotia and First Citizens branches in Chaguanas that had been pre-signed with the signatures of Jack Warner and/or his wife Maureen.The majority of the charges relate to uttering forged documents, obtaining money and forgery. They were granted $230,000 bail each to cover all the charges.
Fifteen of the charges stemmed from the Port-of-Spain District, while the rest arose in Chaguanas. As a result, after the charges were read to them on April 8, the 99 Chaguanas-based charges were transferred to the Chaguanas Magistrates Court.The couple are due to reappear this morning before Senior Magistrate Gillian David-Scotland in the Chaguanas First Court.
During the last hearing before David-Scotland, the couple's attorney Larry Williams applied to have all the charges dealt with at the Port-of-Spain court.Williams said the matter should be transferred for judicial ease, as it involved the same two accused, the same alleged victim and police who are based in Port-of-Spain.David-Scotland is expected to rule on the application at today's hearing.
