‘Obeah’ woman jailed, fined for pregnancy scam

A woman who claimed she could help another get pregnant by using obeah and took over $1.5 million in cash an jewellery to do so was yesterday jailed for one year when she appeared at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court.

Magistrate Fazil Azeez also fined Sharon Lall, who pleaded guilty to a charge of practicing obeah to defraud, $20,000.

The trial of Lall of Lot 37 La Grange, West Bank Demerara, for the offence had been ongoing but after initially denying the charge, on the last occasion when the matter was called, she indicated that she wished to change her plea and yesterday’s date was set for sentencing.

According to the case presented by the prosecution, between June 14-24 at Harlem, West Coast Demerara (WCD) by the assumption of supernatural knowledge Lall obtained from Demeswarri George $1,250,000 and a quantity of jewellery valued $380,000 by pretending that she was in a position to make her pregnant. George had already given her evidence when Lall indicated that she wanted to change her plea.

In sentencing Lall yesterday, the magistrate said that either by omission, ignorance or design she had been charged under the “wrong section” as she had been involved in defrauding George of over $1 million and the section under which she was charged was “lenient” in the penalties for the offence.

He then handed down the decision to Lall, who smiled as she walked to the bench.