A MAN and a woman, charged in connection with  house lots scam, were remanded to prison yesterday when they appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
Danica Griffith and Balkarram Lillie (no addresses given) are alleged to have sold house lots to persons, under the false pretence that the land was from the Ministry of Housing.
Particulars of one of the indictable charges said, on June 5, with intent to defraud, they obtained $250,000 from Ramkumar Rajbar, by falsely pretending that they were in a position to acquire a house lot at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, through the Ministry of Housing knowing it to be false.
Another charge accused them of having, the same day, taken $660,000 from Beena Stanislaus, by falsely pretending that they were in a position to acquire a Diamond house, through the Ministry, knowing it to be false.
A third charge said, between May 23 and June 30, they took $380,000 from Latchmi Manbodh, by falsely pretending that they were in a position to acquire a house lot at Diamond, through the same process knowing it was false.
Police Sergeant Gordon Mansfield, prosecuting, successfully objected to bail for the duo, informing the court that the prisoners are likely to face more charges and, if granted pre-trial freedom, will not return.
The prosecutor said the police investigation is continuing.
Earlier, Defence Counsel Rexford Jackson had said Griffith poses no flight risk.
Lillie, who is a laboratory technician at Demerara Distillers Ltd.(DDL) was unrepresented by counsel.
The magistrate told the prosecutor that, if no additional charges are filed before September 14, when the cases are called again, she will consider bail.