A second man has been remanded to prison for allegedly stealing US$10,000 from another after promising to get a US visa for him.

Shamdyal Ramrup

Shamdyal Ramrup, whose address was not given, appeared before Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

He pleaded not guilty to a charge of larceny from the person when it was read to him.

It is alleged that on July 30 at Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown, Ramrup stole from the person of Sahadeo Narine US$10,000 ($2 million).

Ramrup beseeched the magistrate for bail explaining to her that he had already been granted station bail on Wednesday.

However, the prosecution objected and explained to the court that Ramrup did not have a fixed place of abode. Ramrup, according to the prosecution, initially gave police a Berbice address but yesterday gave the court a Georgetown address.

The magistrate subsequently refused bail. Ramrup next appears in court on August 14 in Court Five along with the other accused in the matter.

On July 31, 38-year-old Charlie Appana appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with the same offence. Appana, of 106 Miss Phoebe, Corentyne, Berbice pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was also remanded to prison.

The virtual complainant (VC), Narine, told the court last Friday that he had accumulated the money to be paid to the defendant [Apanna] in order to uplift the visa and the defendant snatched the bag containing the money and ran away.

Police Prosecutor Denise Griffith, who corroborated what the VC had said, had added that the accused was apprehended by the VC and a police patrol shortly after he had taken off. Griffith said also that all of the money was recovered on the person of the defendant and was lodged at the Brickdam Police Station.