TWO former employees of Alphonso and Sons Mining Company appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry yesterday, on a joint charge of obtaining under false pretence.

Particulars of the indictable offence alleged that Richard Shew and Aaron Gardener, on April 2, with intent to defraud, obtained four flaks of Mercury, valued $4.4M, from Ralph Edwards, by falsely pretending that they were sent by Andron Alphonso to collect the company property, knowing that to be false.

Police Inspector Stephen Telford, prosecuting, said the accused were employed by the company when they committed the crime and he requested substantial bail for them.

Shew, 24, of Lot 117 Section ‘C’, Block ‘Y’, Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, was represented by defence counsel Michael Somersall who said the accused returned what he had taken from Alphonso’s son.

Defence counsel Sasha Roberts, for Gardener, of Lot 196 D’Andrade Street, Kitty, Georgetown also requested that reasonable surety be set and the accused were ordered to each post $250,000, before the case was transferred to Sparendaam Court, also on East Coast Demerara, for April 11.