CO-OWNERS of Versus Auto Sales, at Lot 196 Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday, jointly charged with obtaining money under false pretence. Wayne Barrow, 51, of Lot 72 Queen Street, Kitty, also in Georgetown and Devanand Pooran, 57, of Lot 61 Atlantic Ville, East Coast Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the offence, particulars of which said, between November 24, 2009 and March 5, 2010, with intent to defraud, they obtained $3.6M from Aleemul Ali, pretending they were in a position to deliver a ‘Picnic Toyota’ motor vehicle to him.
Police Inspector Stephen Telford, prosecuting, had objected to bail for the duo but the magistrate overruled the objection and set surety for the defendants at $150,000 each and put off the case to July 28.
Attorney-at-law Mr. Leslie Sobers, for the Defence,  said it is a matter of  breach of contract and Ali cannot say the defendants tried to avoid him or issued false receipts.
The lawyer said the vehicle has been imported and is on a wharf but Barrow and Pooran are experiencing some difficulty to clear it and gave Ali another one to  use while the transaction is being processed.
Ali told the Court he made initial payments for the vehicle on November 24, 2009 but, since then, he has not gotten delivery and was led to believe that his cash was used to do other business. (Nathalene DeFreitas)