A 38-year-old former Rutherford Holding Inc. employee was on Tuesday remanded to prison for allegedly swindling over $5.7M from his employer and two businesses for the Imbaimadai Landing, Mazaruni River area.

Rudolph Braithwaite of McDoom, East Bank Demerara appeared before Senior Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and pleaded not guilty to the three charges when they were read to him.

The first charge alleged that between April 27, 2018 and June 7, 2018 at Imbaimadai Landing Mazaruni River, with intent to defraud, he obtained a quantity of mining equipment and food stuff valued $313,000, property of Devika Persaud, by falsely pretending that the items were bought on the account of his employer, Rutherford Holding Inc.

It is further alleged that between January 1, 2018 and February 28, 2018 at Imbaimadai Landing, with intent to defraud, he obtained a quantity of food and fuel valued $580,000 property of Grant Ali, by falsely pretending that the items were bought on the account of his employer, Rutherford Holding Inc.

Lastly the court heard that between December 1, 2017 and July 9, 2018 at Imbaimadai Landing, he stole 19 ounces of raw gold valued $4.9M taken from the account of his employer Neville Rutherford.

Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Telford objected to bail and told the court that Braithwaite, after committing the offences in the Imbaimadai area, left the location and did not return. However he was arrested by the police. The magistrate ruled in the prosecution’s favour and remanded Braithwaite to prison until March 19, 2019 where he is scheduled to appear in the Kamarang Magistrate’s Court.