BONNIE Boodoo, of Lot 5 Kersaint Park, La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara and his employee, Ramnarine Deonarine (no address given) were yesterday remanded to prison on separate charges of forging United States (U.S.) currency notes, uttering and being in possession of counterfeit money. They appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and Boodoo pleaded not guilty to allegations that:
* on October 10, he forged twenty US$50 bills and a similar number of US$100 bills knowing them to be false;
* on October 20, he was in possession of ten US$100 bills knowing them to be false and
* on October 20, he uttered, to Audrey Samaroo, twenty US$50 bills and the same number of US$100 bills knowing them to be false.
The charges against Deonarine said, on October 21, he uttered, to Audrey Samaroo, as well, ten US$100 bills knowing them to be fakes and, that same day, he had ten US$100 bills in his possession knowing they were counterfeit.
He also pleaded not guilty.
Attorney-at-law Mr. Gordon Gilhuys, in a failed application for Boodoo to be granted bail, disclosed that the defendant was severely beaten by Police and the virtual complainant.
The lawyer said Boodoo lodged his passport at the Police Station and is not a flight risk.
Police Sergeant Lionel Harvey, prosecuting, had no objection to the grant for Boodoo but requested that substantial surety be set.
The Prosecutor, however, objected to pre-trial liberty for Deonarine, on the ground that he has a previous case in the Court.
Harvey said Boodoo and Deonarine, who works for the former, attempted to change the U.S. currency on consecutive days and it was when the latter tendered the notes that the virtual complainant detected they were counterfeits and her relatives beat him and Boodoo, before contacting the Police.
The prisoners on remand have to be back in Court on October 26.