The branch manager of the National Insurance Scheme, Port Mourant office, appeared before New Amsterdam Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs Marcus charged with demanding money with menace, contrary to Section 224 of the Criminal Law[Offences] Act Chapter 8:01.Miguel Perry Anthony, aged 44 years, a father of five, of Nigg Village, and formerly of West Demerara, was initially not required to plead to the indictable charge.
However, the Administration of Justice Act was applied by Police Sergeant Godfrey Playter, resulting in the defendant pleading not guilty.
The information which was sworn to by Detective Constable 20679 Dwayne Braithwaithe , revealed that  between Monday 8 and 9  September last at Port Mourant Village, Anthony demanded with menace the sum of $350,000 from Peter Lewis with intent to steal.
Meanwhile, Attorney-at-law Horatio Edmondson, holding the brief for Michael Somersaul, said the defendant has served the National Insurance Scheme for 20 years, and had never been charged before.
Consequently, he asked for reasonable bail, which was allowed in the sum of $75,000. However, the matter has been transferred to the Whim Magistrates Court for hearing on October 22,2014
The police said that the charge stemmed from allegations that the defendant demanded $400,000 from Corentyne Contractor Peter Lewis, so as to provide him with a Certificate of Compliance.
However, the document was needed to fulfil the requirement for an urgent bidding process which was held last Monday, but the virtual complainant was unable to raise the required sum; consequently, the defendant allegedly lowered the sum to $350,000, which should have been paid before the document was handed over.
This newspaper was reliably informed that the document was not prepared, but the manager is alleged to have still demanded the money, resulting in Peter Lewis withdrawing it from a bank and contacting a senior detective in the Berbice Division who, thereafter, staged a stake out, before arresting defendant just after an envelope containing the cash was handed over.