Five persons appeared in Court today to face fraud charges related to over $19 million in bogus GRA cheques that were cashed at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry.

Appearing in Court today were Anush Khan, Komalram Persaud, Romeschand Singh, Devindra Moteeram and Shareesa Tappin.

According to the first charge sheet, between the 28th October last year and the 11th May this year, Romeshand Singh conspired with Anush Khan, Devindra Moteeram and Komalram Persaud, and other persons to forge a Bank of Guyana cheque amounting to just over $9.5 million purporting to show that it was issued by the GRA when in fact they knew it was forged.

On the second charge, the same four men conspired with a woman, Shareesa Tappin, and other persons to forge another Bank of Guyana cheque valued at more than $9.5 million purporting to show that it was also issued by the GRA when it is known that it was forged.

The woman who is currently serving a prison sentence for drug trafficking was remanded to prison for the charge, while the other four accused were granted bail in the sum of $600,000 each for the two charges.

The Court was informed that other charges are likely to be filed and other persons are likely to be brought before the Court.

Meanwhile as the probe continues into the bogus cheque fraud, at least three staffers attached to the Guyana Revenue Authority have been pulled in by the Police for questioning about those bogus GRA cheques.

While the GRA has confirmed that the cheques were indeed bogus and did not come from the agency, investigators suspect that persons working at the agency may have provided information and possible photographs or scanned images to other persons for the production of the bogus cheques.

Police investigators are also probing personnel at the commercial bank where the cheques were cashed.

GRA officials have said the bank should have picked up that the cheque was bogus because the GRA does not issue cheques that can be cashed. All of the cheques are payable to accounts.

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