Soft-drink vendor remanded on fraudulent conversion charge

SOFT-DRINK vendor Shawn Clarke, 25, also known as Sherwin Benjamin, of Lot 100 South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, appeared on Thursday before Georgetown Magistrate Judy Latchman to answer a charge of fraudulent conversion.

He pleaded not guilty to having, on May 2 at High Street, Georgetown, fraudulently converted to his own use and benefit a ‘cool down’ cart containing a quantity of beverages together valued at $70,550, the property of Princess Peters, solely entrusted to him by Randolph Glasgow in order that he might return same to Glasgow.

Police Sergeant Vishnu Hunt, prosecuting, told the court that although Clarke had given an address to the court, the prosecution learned that he lives ‘on the street’. Moreover, Clarke has three or four prior convictions of larceny.

The unrepresented Clarke, however, told the court that his prison record would show that he has only one conviction.

He was refused bail, and the case was transferred to Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Edmond’s Court for calling on October 18.

(By Geeta Rampersaud)