FIVE persons appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, on Tuesday, in connection with the alleged forgery of two Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) cheques together valued $19.4 million and the subsequent cashing of one at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI).
Shareesa Tappin, a 27-year-old hairdresser of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown; Romeshchand Singh, a 40-year-old driver of Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara; Komalram Persaud, 25-year-old minibus driver of ‘C’ Diamond Block X, Golden Grove; Devindra Moteeram called Richard, a 24-year-old logger of Jackson Dam, Mandela Avenue; and Anush Khan, a 29-year-old logger of Section ‘C’ Block ‘Y’ Diamond, EBD pleaded not guilty to forgery-related charges.
The first charge alleged that Singh, between October 28, 2020 and May 11, 2021 at Georgetown, conspired with Persaud, Moteeram, Khan and other persons to forge one Bank of Guyana Cheque #08-251478, dated April 9, 2021, amounting to $9,550,000, purporting to show that same was issued by the GRA, Internal Revenue Department knowing same to be forged.

The second charge alleged that Singh, between October 28, 2020 and May 11,2021, at Georgetown, conspired with Tappin, Persaud, Moteeran, Khan and other persons to forge one Bank of Guyana cheque #08-252760, dated April 20, 2021, amounting to $9,875,000 in favour of Tappin purporting to show that same was issued by the GRA, knowing same to be forged. Additionally, Tappin was charged separately for the offence which alleged that on May 11, 2021, at GBTI Regent Street, with intent to defraud, uttered to bank teller Afsaanah Azimullah, one forged Bank of Guyana Cheque #08-252760 dated April 20, 2021, amounting to $9,875,000.
It is further alleged that, on the same day, with intent to defraud, Tappin endeavoured the sum of $9,875,000 from the said bank, upon or by virtue of a forged instrument. Magistrate Daly released Singh, Persaud, Moteeram and Khan on $600,000 bail each and ordered that for the duration of the matter, they report every other Monday to Assistant Superintendent Caesar However, Tappin was remanded to prison since she is currently serving a four-year jail sentence for another matter.
The case will be called again on June 21.