Car dealer fined $1,000 for fraud

A FOREIGN-USED car dealer who pleaded guilty to fraudulent conversion before a Siparia magistrate yesterday, was fined $1,000 or four months imprisonment with hard labour. Hasnat Ali, 39, of Katwaroo Trace, Penal, who owns QML Marketing Company Ltd, appeared before Senior Magistrate Lucina Cardenas-Ragoonanan. It was alleged that in July 2002, Madree Seebaran, 35, of Addie Street, Penal, paid Ali $23,000 by means of a Republic Bank manager’s cheque as part payment for a Nissan Sentra B15 car valued at $46,000. It was agreed that the vehicle would be delivered to Seebaran at the end of October 2002.

However, the vehicle was not delivered and Seebaran was refunded $23,000 by Ali with an Inter-Commercial Bank cheque. When Seebaran attempted to withdraw cash, she discovered the cheque was dishonoured. After Seebaran lodged a report to the Fraud Squad Unit in San Fernando, Ali was arrested and charged last May for fraudulent conversion of $23,000. Ali was ordered to pay Seebaran $15,000 in compensation on or before March 9.