Singh, 41, of Lot 18 Charles Street, Charlestown pleaded guilty when she appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson, who imposed the sentence. Singh, who had pretended to be an employee of the Housing Ministry, asked for the leniency of the court and vowed never to do the crime again before she was sentenced.
It was alleged that between December 7 last year and January 9 this year, with intent to defraud, Singh and her co-accused Prem Persaud obtained $820,000 from Chaitram Baneswar by falsely pretending that they were in the position to obtain a house lot for him at Good Hope, East Bank Demerara, from the Ministry of Housing, knowing the claim to be false.
Singh told the court that she only received $100,000 from Baneswar; the balance she said was collected by Persaud, who is currently hospitalised. He is expected to be charged once he is discharged from the hospital.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Stephen Telford told the court that Baneswar and Persaud were friends. Persaud, the prosecutor explained, told Baneswar that he could assist him in getting a house lot for $820,000, to which he agreed. Singh is said to have introduced herself as the person employed by the Ministry who would assist him in getting the said lot. Between December and January, Baneswar reportedly handed over the total sum.
Baneswar said that Singh allegedly told him that her name was “Indra,” the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry. He said that it was usually Singh who would call and make demands for the money, while Persaud would usually be sent to uplift the cash.
Persaud was hospitalised after he ingested poison when he was told of the allegation. He was admitted as a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital. He is currently undergoing treatment.
