- also accused in visa, car scams

Simone King also known as  Diane De Nobrega  of Lot 101 Phase Two, Good Hope, East Coast Demerara, was sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment by Justice William Ramlal after a two-day trial in New Amsterdam, Berbice, where she was found guilty of fraudulent conversion of money she received while purporting to be an immigration consultant.

Simone King

The court was told that in response to an advertisement of an immigration consultant in one of the daily newspapers, Roshanie Romlochan of Lot 356 Number 30 Village, West Coast Berbice paid over to King two sums of money totalling $1,740,000.

However, in October 2008, King failed to fulfil the agreement and consequently signed promissory notes indicating when the sum of $1,040,000 and a remaining sum of $700,000 was expected to be repaid.

Through Ramlochan’s attorney, Joel Persid Edmond, the plaintiff moved to the Bail Court where an action was filed for the sum owed. The matter was heard before Justice Franklyn Holder who endorsed judgement in favour of the plaintiff and awarded the sum inclusive of court costs totalling $1,749,596 on September 25, 2009.

Meanwhile, following the non-appearance of King, a judgement summons was subsequently filed in the Civil Court and it was first heard last Friday.  On that day, King who is a remand prisoner at the lone female penitentiary in New Amsterdam, requested an adjournment to Tuesday.

Justice Ramlal then examined the evidence to determine whether King had the means to repay the money owed.

Led in her evidence by Attorney-at-Law Rohan Chandan, the debtor, who said she was a manager earning a sum of $150,000 per month, admitted owing Ramlochan.

King who has many aliases acknowledged that she did not have any movable or immovable property. However, she said, along with her business partner, Gordon Adams, she had imported several cars and the vehicles are expected to arrive in the country next month.

Cross-examined by Edmond, King replied, “I have creditors, namely Mr and Mrs John Gary of St Michael, Barbados, who owe me about $4 million to $5 million.”

King said further that she had invested Ramlochan’s money in her craft and jewel shop which exported items to Barbados, adding that she used to earn about US$2,000 per month from that venture. However, she said that on September 30, 2008 that business operation ceased.

She also admitted that she has other matters of fraudulent conversion pending in the Magistrate’s Court in Georgetown.

Prior to sentencing, Justice Ramlal asked the prisoner whether she had anything to say and she replied, “Nothing Sir.”

“You have nothing to say? Not even sorry? You have shown no signs of remorse. I am imposing the full amount under the law that is six weeks on each count. They will be served consecutively,” the judge ruled.

Justice Ramlal told King that if the money was repaid an order would be signed and she would be released, but if at the end of the stipulated period the sum is not paid, the creditor could have the proceedings reopened, forcing her to return to jail again for the sum owed.

King has appeared in court in Georgetown on charges related to an alleged visa scam and a reported vehicle swindle.