FORTY-six-year-old Gopaul Tiwari, a businessman of Lot 72 Craig, East Bank Demerara, appeared Friday before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry to answer to one charge of fraudulent conversion and eight charges of false pretence.

The first charge alleged that on Friday, May 31, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtain from Christopher Daniels the sum of $200,000 by falsely pretending that he was in a position to sell him one land cruiser 2010 LX, knowing same to be false.

The second charge alleged that on the same day, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtain from Rodwell Chillcott the sum of $4.6 M by falsely pretending that he was in position to sell him one excavator, knowing same to be false.

The third charge alleged that between February 1 and 28, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtain from Ryan Adolphus the sum of $7M by falsely pretending that he was in position to sell him a parcel of commercial land at Eccles Industrial Site, knowing same to be false.

The fourth charge alleged that on March 7, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtain from Basil Bhagwandin the sum of $400,000 by falsely pretending that he was in a position to sell him a motor car, knowing same to be false.

Another charge alleged that on April 4, at Georgetown, being solely entrusted by Richard Austin with the sum of US$2,000, the equivalent of Gy$400,000, to buy windows and building materials and return to him, he fraudulently converted the sum to his own use and benefit.

The sixth charge alleged that on Friday, May 31, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtained from Jagdat Ramsaywack the sum of $100,000 to purchase tyres by pretended that he was in position to sell him a motor car, knowing same to be false.

The seventh offence alleged that between May 21 and 23, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtained from Maureen Gomes the sum of $400,000 by falsely pretending that he was in a position to sell her one minibus, knowing same to be false.

The eight charge alleged that between January 1 and April 30, 2013, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtain a sum of money from Ezel Prescott by pretending he was in a position to sell him a house lot at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, knowing same to be false.

The last charge said that between January 1 and April 30, 2013, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, he obtained $2.5M from Oswin Adolphus by falsely pretending he was in a position to sell him two house lots at Eccles and a Bedford Truck, knowing same to be false.
Tiwari, represented by Attorney- at-law Paul Fung-a-Fat, pleaded guilty to all nine charges. The lawyer informed the court that Tiwari is a married father of three children, who has to take care of a sick mother and a brother suffering with cancer.

The lawyer said his client did not waste the court’s time, and was throwing himself at the court’s mercy.

It was learnt that Tiwari had been charged with similar offences in another court, but complainants in that matter accepted settlement, thus the charges had been dismissed against him.

The Chief Magistrate sentenced Tiwari to two years’ imprisonment on each of the false pretence charges, and three years’ imprisonment on the fraudulent conversion charge; but because the sentences will run concurrently, Tiwari will serve only three years for his crimes.
Written By Geeta Rampersaud