Woman committed in $.2 M fraud charge

Shavanie Indira Maharaj, 33, of Centenary Street, Princes Town, had been before Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John, in a Preliminary Inquiry hearing at the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court. In July, she was charged with the offence which alleged that between April 29 and 30, 2014, at Tropical Plaza, Marabella, she took the money from Lutchme Baldeo, for the purpose of conducting a wire transfer.

Sgt Bryan Popan of the Fraud Squad, San Fernando, laid the charge and testified at the inquiry.

Luchme, 57, who is a financial executive at Maritime Insurance, testified and was cross-examined by Maharaj’s attorney Shaun Teekasingh.

The allegation arising out of the charge contends that Baldeo had advertised the property for sale in the sum of $13 million.

The charge alleged that he gave the $226,000 to Maharaj to conduct a wire transfer.

Maharaj was not called upon to enter a plea and it was left up to the prosecution to make out a prima facie case against her.

Yesterday, Teekasingh made a legal submission to Forde-John, that the prosecution witnesses were unbelievable. The court police prosecutor, attorney Cleyon Seedan, replied that the State’s case had been established, if the court accepted that the money transaction took place and that the defendant did not made good on her promise.

Forde-John told Maharaj that a prima facie case had been made out which a jury, properly directed, could secure a conviction.

The magistrate ordered that the $100,000 bail which Maharaj had been on, be posted afresh. She was ordered to stand trial at the next sitting of the Assizes.

Maharaj was handcuffed and taken to the holding bay downstairs the courthouse where her mother signed as surety for the bail.