Parmanand Singh

TWENTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Parmanand Singh of 51 Clonbrook Village, East Coast Demerara, yesterday appeared before Magistrate Priya Beharry charged with attempting to defraud the Mahaica Post Office of close to $2M.

Singh pleaded not guilty to the charge which said, between September 22 and December 23, 2008, at the same post office, he conspired with others to steal $1,860,000.

Police Corporal Munilall Seetaram, prosecuting, said the defendant was taken four times to the building by one Imran Khalil, a former employee.

According to the Prosecutor, the post master, Roger Charles, prepared seven Inland Revenue orders which amounted to the sum of money in the charge.

Seetaram objected to bail for Singh, noting that the Prosecution had advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

He related that the other persons involved in the scam have already fled the jurisdiction.

The defendant’s lawyer, Mr. Adrian Thompson, told the court that his client is an employee of Caribbean Chemicals and a final year student at the University of Guyana.

Thompson said they were prepared to lodge all of Singh’s travel documents.

But Seetaram maintained his opposition to bail and the other Prosecutor, Denise Griffith, said the defendant signed and uplifted payments that he was not entitled to.

She said Singh even told Police in a statement that Khalil offered him the opportunity of “making some money.”

Singh was remanded to prison and the case will continue on August 20.