A Brazilian national, accused of stealing money from a local bank, has been released on bail after his lawyer told a city court that he was charged due to a mix-up.
Police allege that on August 31st, Raymond Moreira, 30, stole $60,000 from the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI). The businessman, who travels regularly to the United States and Guyana to purchase goods to sell in Brazil, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Moreira, who is a native Portuguese speaker, depended on the translation of Carlos Giya, an official of the Brazilian Embassy, when he was arraigned in a city court yesterday.
Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that Moreira, who had entered the country through Lethem for a vacation, withdrew $60,000 from the GBTI bank although he was not a holder of any bank accounts in Guyana. When the accused attempted to withdraw money a second time, he was confronted and arrested. Jones informed the court that although the Visa card Moreira had in his possession bears his name, the account is registered to someone else.
Moreira, when asked if he would like to offer an explanation to the court, stated that his bank allowed him the freedom to withdraw money at any location as long as the respective local bank offered Visa services. The accused further stated that he had withdrawn money in Guyana and in the US on previous occasions without encountering any problems.
Attorney Paul Fung-A-Fat, who appeared for Moreira, told the court that the incident was nothing more than a mix-up and pleaded for his client to be released on bail.
Jones, however, objected and noted that the accused, who was staying in a hotel, had no local address, no ties in Guyana and would not return for trial. Fung-A-Fat countered this claim and stated that Moreira would be put up by the Brazilian Embassy and the institution would assume responsibility for the security of the defendant as well as assure his return for trial.
Magistrate Ann McLennan subsequently placed Moreira on $100,000 bail and ordered him to report to the Criminal Investigation Department every day until the investigation concludes. Moreira’s next court date is September 9th.
