A man accused of fraudulently converting 50 cell phones and three vehicles to his own use in addition to obtaining money by false pretence was yesterday admitted to bail in the sum of $1.9M after appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
The allegation against Sherlock Rodriquez is that on June 4 at Georgetown, being solely entrusted by Fazil Ali with 50 cell phones valued $1.2M that he might sell same and return the proceeds to the said Ali, he fraudulently converted same to his own use and benefit.
It is also alleged that between May 30 and June 21 at 111 Miles Mahdia, being solely entrusted by Fazil Ali with three vehicles valued $2M each in order that he may work and retain same to return to the said Ali, he fraudulently converted same to his own use and benefit.
Between May 30 and June 21 at 111 Miles also, with intent to defraud, Rodriquez is alleged to have obtained $286,000; $165,000 and $160,000 from Geoffrey Williams, Orin Patrick and Robin Joseph respectively; by purporting that he was in a position to sell them cars, knowing same to be false.
The taxi driver who resides at 111 Miles Mahdia, Potaro denied the charges when they were read to him at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Police Sergeant Vishnu Hunt who presented the prosecution’s facts as it relates to the cell phones said that on the day in question, Ali was on High Street when he gave the accused the 50 phones to sell and return the money to him.
The court however heard from Hunt that the accused never returned the money received from selling the phones.
The sergeant said that this later prompted the complainant to report the matter to the police after which Rodriquez was subsequently arrested and charged.
When initially asked to plead to the charge involving the phones, Rodriguez admitted to committing the offence but after his explanation to the court the magistrate entered a not guilty plea to the charge since, according to the defendant’s explanation, he never got a chance to receive the proceeds from the cell phones.
When given a chance to speak, Rodriguez said while he was away in the interior he sold the phones to persons “on credit but never got to collect the money.”
Meanwhile, as it relates to the other charges levelled against the accused, when asked by the court if the facts were as charged, Hunt responded in the affirmative after which no further details of what transpired were given.
When asked, the sergeant indicated to the court that all the vehicles have been recovered.
The acting chief magistrate informed the accused that he would be granted his pre-trial liberty on the condition that he reports to the Brickdam Police Station to police officer Desmond Chin on Mondays and Fridays at 8:30am as it relates to the cell phone matter in Georgetown.
Meanwhile, the Mahdia matters were transferred to the Mahdia Magistrates’ Court for July 20.
Rodriguez was granted $400,000 bail on the cell phone matter and $250,000 for each of the other charges.
