Nateram Persaud, who is still at large after being charged with a multi-million dollar theft, was on Friday sentenced to four years imprisonment by Magistrate Ann McLennan after an ex-parte trial.
The case submitted by the prosecution satisfied the court with sufficient evidence, which proved beyond reasonable doubt that Persaud was guilty as charged in the theft of $4 million, which was taken on March 19, 2012, at South Road during a staged robbery.
Persaud, after being held in connection with the crime, managed to escape from police custody and is still to be captured.
Joel Ali, of Lot 4 Riverview, West Bank Demerara and Sewsankar Jewt, of Nootenzuil, East Coast Demerara were also previously charged with the offence and released on bail.
It was alleged that Ali, the company clerk of H. Nauth and Sons Construction Company, was required to deposit the money at a bank, a task he normally undertook, but failed to do so.
The man, who had been employed with the company for about a year, was trusted to carry out this duty and a company vehicle was usually used. However, on that particular occasion, Ali used his personal car.
Police said Ali reported that he was driving along South Road when another vehicle collided with him from behind.
He said he parked his vehicle as it was and came out and was confronted by two men, who had exited the other vehicle.
Ali was reportedly held at gunpoint and forced back into his vehicle where he was blindfolded and taken to an unknown destination.
The man had also claimed that he was assaulted, robbed of $4 million and a cheque valued at $4 million and left tied up while the perpetrators escaped in his vehicle.
Police had later said that investigations revealed that the report given by Ali relating an abduction story was false and $2.1M was recovered.
The money, which was in the possession of the Guyana Police Force, has since been ordered to return to its owner.
