A University of Guyana student who police discovered on Monday had allegedly faked her own kidnapping in an effort to fleece money from her mother who resides overseas was yesterday taken before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Komal Sharda Singh, 18, of 65 Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and her 19-year-old boyfriend Deodat Vijai Singh of 36 Unity Backdam, ECD were charged with attempting to commit a felony by false pretence. Komal was additionally charged with giving the police false information.
On Monday night Komal’s uncle reported to the police at Cove and John Police Station that he had received information from Juliet Tarushanker who was overseas that her daughter, Komal, had contacted her and told her that she had been kidnapped by two men in a white car along the Railway Embankment while on her way to the university. The young woman, the uncle said, told her mother she was being held captive in a house and the men were demanding $300,000, failing which they would kill her.
After receiving this information police subsequently pursued the matter. Komal and Deodat were later taken into custody and charged.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them by Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle.
Attorney-at-law Vic Puran represented Komal, while Satyesh Kissoon stood in on Deodat’s behalf.
Puran told the court that Komal lived with a strict aunt. The kidnapping was the young woman’s solution to explain her absence away from home to her aunt, he said. Since no real kidnapping occurred and no real attempt was made to collect a ransom, Puran appealed to the court to be lenient with his client and have her stand cost for the court’s time and sign a bond to keep the peace.
Kissoon agreed with Puran’s arguments and also made an application to the court for mercy on Deodat’s behalf.
The appeal for leniency by the attorneys was subsequently granted by the court and both the accused were required to pay $2,500 court cost each, sign a bond to keep the peace for two years and compensate the virtual complainant, Komal’s mother Tarushanker, for her travelling expenses which amounted to US$2,000.
