A building contractor who was charged with obtaining by false pretence was granted time yesterday to pay back in full $250,000 that he took from one Rudolph Baldeo with the intent to defraud.
Mahendra Persaud, 46, of 183 Annandale, East Coast Demerara pleaded guilty to the charge and offered an explanation.
According to the charge, Persaud on August 13, 2009 with intent to defraud obtained $250,000 from Baldeo by falsely pretending that he was in a position to sell him a 3,500 watts diesel generator.
However Persaud, in his explanation told the court that he borrowed the money and was prepared to pay it back. He denied that he promised to sell Baldeo a generator.
Persaud then asked the magistrate to grant him time since a relative was on his way to the court with $150,000 to repay Baldeo.
The magistrate said that he should have the relative come with the entire sum instead.
The Virtual Complainant told the court earlier that he received promises that he would be repaid but every time efforts were made to contact Persaud he was never around. Baldeo said further that it took four months for the police to apprehend Persaud.
After some time, the relative arrived with the full sum and the matter was settled in court.
