Ex-cashiers at Guyana Stores offer to repay

Two former cashiers of Guyana Stores Limited who allegedly embezzled just over $170,000 from the company appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Petamber Gopaul,18, of Lot 2 Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara and Shaleena Khan, 19, of 85 Newtown, Enmore, East Coast Demerara pleaded not guilty to the charge of embezzlement when it was read to them by Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle.

It is alleged that between January 3 and April 4 this year the two accused being clerks/servants at their former place of employment, Guyana Stores Limited, embezzled the sum of $171,793 received by them for their employer’s account.

According to the prosecution, Gopaul and Khan were cashiers at the said company. The company’s accounts were audited and it was discovered that cash bills were missing for a period of time. The bills missing during that period were those written by the two accused for items not listed on the store’s point-of-sales system on the computer, the prosecution explained.

Attorney-at-law Mohammed Zafar represented Khan and he said that both his client and Gopaul were willing to repay the store the amount allegedly embezzled. James Deane, Company Secretary of Guyana Stores, said that he was willing to accept the proposal. However, he added, the final decision would have to come from the Chief Executive Officer of the company.

Gopaul and Khan were each placed on $85,000 bail and the matter will continue on June 3.