Prem Persaud, called ‘Prem Rampersaud,’ is wanted by police for questioning in connection with the Little Diamond Housing Scheme, for which two persons have already been charged and remanded to prison.
The police force yesterday issued a wanted bulletin for Persaud, whom it said was wanted for questioning in relation to obtaining by false pretence. Persaud’s last known addresses were given as Lot 6 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara and Prospect, East Bank Demerara.
While the police did not give further details, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud that that it was in connection with the housing scam cases, in which the perpetrators collected money for persons with a promise of providing lots.
Two persons, Balkarran Lillie and Danica Griffith appeared in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Thursday charged with defrauding prospective land buyers by pretending they could acquire over two dozen house lots at Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara through the Ministry of Housing.
It was alleged that between May and June, with the intent to defraud, they obtained over $1.2M by pretending to persons that they were in a position to acquire house lots for them at Little Diamond.
During the hearing the prosecution stated that Lillie would contact the virtual complainants and ask if they were interested in purchasing a number of house lots at Little Diamond, while claiming that to them that he knew someone who could get an approval letter from the Ministry of Housing. Further, the prosecution said Lillie, a 26-year-old lab technician would then take the complainants to the Ministry of Housing and introduce them to Griffith, who would normally be seen coming out of the building and pretended to be a staffer of the said ministry, where payment would be arranged. Griffith a 19-year-old clothes vendor of Lot 23 Seaforth Street, Campbellville was arrested on Sunday last at a resort while Lillie was arrested the following day at his home. The police have said more charges are pending against them.
The charges were brought a day after the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) issued an advisory saying that was the only agency authorised to allocate and receive payments for house lots, for which official receipts are issued.
The CH&PA issued the advisory to alert persons that there were several scams which have been discovered by the Ministry of Housing, all of which are currently engaging the attention of the courts.
The Housing Ministry, however, has noted that the victims are equally culpable, since they are willing to participate in shady deals. “The ministry wishes to categorically state that those members of the public who usually find themselves caught up in scams of this nature are equally culpable, since they are willing to participate in activities which they must know could not be authentic, by the very nature of the modus operandi that is used by the fraudsters,” the ministry stated.
Moreover, the ministry said that no one is authorised to collect money for house lots on behalf of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, and all transactions concerning house lots are conducted at the CH&PA offices. It also pointed out also that the transfer of any lot purchased from the CH&PA must be approved in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement of Sale.
Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Persaud is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-8196, 225-2227, 225-6411, 226-7065, 911 or the nearest police station. All information will be treated with strict confidence, police said.
