Freeport man guilty of issuing bad cheque

A 21-year-old Freeport man, who was found guilty of obtaining 200 cases of Lucozade with a dishonoured cheque was fined $5,000 and ordered to pay compensation by a Siparia magistrate. Ricky Chankerdial, of Uquire Road, appeared before Magistrate Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan. Acting Sgt Bernard led the prosecution. The court heard that on September 17, 2001, a call was made to Micons Marketing Ltd at Fernandes Industrial Estate, Laventille, ordering 200 cases of Lucozade to be delivered to K’s Mini Mart, Abbey Street, St Mary’s Village, South Oropouche. The goods were delivered the following day. Cost of the 200 cases of Lucozade was $23,046.

Chankerdial then signed over a cheque for the required amount, making it payable to Micons Marketing. The cheque was deposited. Soon afterwards, the cheque “bounced.” A report was then made to the San Fernando Fraud Squad and Cpl Kent Ghisyawan conducted investigations. Chankerdial was arrested on November 26, 2001. In court, Chankerdial denied knowing the cheque was not valid when he signed it. Police could not find the other individual involved in the incident. The prosecution also argued that Chankerdial admitted knowledge of the dishonoured cheque in his initial police statement. The Magistrate found that the evidence presented by the prosecution proved Chankerdial’s guilt on the charge of obtaining property by a dishonoured cheque. He was fined $5,000 and ordered to pay compensation of $23,046 — the cost of the cases of Lucozade. In default, he faces three months imprisonment.