Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday sentenced a man who stole a Toyota Tundra pick-up valued $5M from his employer to four years imprisonment.
Meanwhile, the magistrate granted bail to another man who allegedly bought the vehicle, and another who reportedly forged the vehicle’s registration number and a woman who is charged with driving it with the false registration number.
Twenty-four-year-old Diyodha Rampkirat of Vreed-en-Hoop Squatting area who stole the vehicle pleaded guilty to the charge of simple larceny.
And while Rampkirat again pleaded guilty to the joint charge of forgery, Rakesh Sawh, 24, of Gordon Street, Kitty pleaded not guilty.
Oric Obermuller, 39, of South Ruimveldt pleaded not guilty to the charge of receiving stolen property and allowing another person to operate the stolen vehicle.
Meanwhile, Aileen Bowman, 38, of Lot 77 Robb Street, was charged with operating a vehicle that had a false registration number.
Rampkirat admitted that on March 30, he stole a Toyota Tundra pick-up valued $5M, the property of Farouk Ghani.
He also admitted but Sawh denied that between March 30 and May 20 with intent to defraud, they conspired with others to forge a motor vehicle registration number.
Obermuller denied that between March 30 and May 29, he received from Rampkirat, a Toyota Tundra, valued $5M, the property of Farouk Ghani, knowing same to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.
He also denied that on May 29, he allowed Bowman to drive the motor vehicle when the identification plate number was fraudulently placed.
Bowman denied that she drove motor vehicle GLL 6438 when the said identification plate number was fraudulently inserted.
Attorney Vic Puran who is representing Obermuller and Bowan applied for reasonable bail for them.
Puran said that Obermuller presented no risk of flight since as soon as he heard that he was wanted by the police he reported to the police station.
Puran said that Bowman borrowed the vehicle from a friend at church, who happened to be Obermuller’s nephew. He noted that Bowman had no idea that the identification plate number was false.
Bowman told the court that she only came into possession of the vehicle because of a birthday celebration. She explained that the celebration was being held at a creek and several persons were invited. She noted that since everyone could not have fitted into her vehicle she borrowed the Tundra from Obermuller’s nephew to facilitate the transportation of the persons to the creek.
She noted that she returned home later that day and several hours after she parked the vehicle in front her yard she noticed that a crowd had gathered there.
She said that she sent her son to find out what was going on and when he returned he informed her that a man (Ghani) was claiming ownership of the vehicle. She said that she immediately called Obermuller’s nephew and informed him and then went outside to talk to Ghani.
Puran noted that Obermuller bought the vehicle from Sawh but he had no idea that the vehicle was stolen. He said that there were no indications that the vehicle was stolen since nothing in or on it was refurbished or seemed altered.
He said that his client thought the vehicle was genuine.
He said that his client had paid $3M for the vehicle, adding that he had given Sawh $1M as an advance and upon receiving the document for the vehicle registration, he handed over the rest.
Puran noted that his client was willing to return the vehicle to Ghani since he does not wish to be tied up in lengthy court proceedings.
Mishka Puran, Sawh’s lawyer, applied for reasonable bail for him on the grounds that he poses no risk of flight.
Hard times
Rampkirat, who was employed by Ghani, said that he “fall into some hard times,” and since he knew Ghani would normally leave his keys for the vehicle on top of the garage he took advantage of that.
He said that on the day that he stole the vehicle, the gate at Ghani’s yard was open so he just went inside, located the vehicle and the keys and drove away.
He then went to Sawh and told him that he had a vehicle from Suriname that he was selling and asked him if he was interested in buying it for $3M.
He said that Sawh told him that he didn’t have the money at the time and asked whether or not the vehicle’s documents were in order and he told him that would be dealt with in two days.
Rampkirat said that some time after, Sawh handed him $300,000 as a down-payment for the vehicle and told him that he would get the rest of the money when the documentation was completed and delivered to him.
He said that while on the West Bank of Demerara, he saw a man that he knows who normally does vehicle documentation.
He said that the man told him that he would do the documentation for $100,000 but later accepted $70,000. He then handed over the forged document to Sawh who in turn handed it over to Obermuller.
“Ah begging yuh foh leniency cause I gah three children and a wife fuh look after ma worship,” pleaded Rampkirat.
Prosecutor Stephen Telford stated that Ghani is the registered owner of motor vehicle GKK4274 and Rampkirat who used to work for him knew where he would put the keys for it.
He said that on the day of the incident at about 10:00am, Ghani secured his garage with the vehicle inside and left to go to the airport but upon returning home later that day he discovered the vehicle and keys missing.
He immediately made a report to the police station and Rampkirat was subsequently arrested and the vehicle located.
He said that Rampkirat admitted to the police that he had stolen the vehicle and had conspired with another man to change the registration number.
The prosecutor noted that the vehicle is currently lodged at the Criminal Investigation Department, Eve Leary and it will be returned to Ghani.
The magistrate subsequently placed Sawh on $100,000 bail, Obermuller on $50,000 bail and Bowman on $150,000 bail.
She ordered that they all return to court on July 9.
