A New Amsterdam woman was yesterday charged with defrauding a fisherman of half a million dollars by claiming that she could provide him with customs documents to avert duties.
It is alleged that Rookmini Johnson, 31, of 12-17 Chapel Street, New Amsterdam, Berbice, on February 5, at Turkeyen, with intent to defraud Hemchandra Ramnarine of $500,000, claimed that she was a customs clerk at the Ministry of Agriculture and could provide him with documents so that he would not have to pay duties on his fish.
Johnson pleaded not guilty to the charge, which was read to her by Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Better Hope Community Centre, where the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court is temporarily housed.
Police Prosecutor David Goodridge told the court that Ramnarine, who is the owner of fishing boats, was told that he was required to pay custom duties on fish and he would have to make a visit to the Ministry of Agriculture to clarify the issue. On February 4 and February 5, however, he received a phone call from a female who claimed to be from the ministry and she indicated that she could help him get needed documents at a cost of $500,000. As a result, Johnson and Ramnarine met on February 5 at Turkeyen, where the money was handed over to her but afterward she was not seen or heard from by the man, the prosecutor said. Checks were then made at the ministry and it was found out that Johnson was never an employee at the ministry. A report was made and an investigation was carried out and she was subsequently found and arrested by the police, the prosecutor added.
Goodridge objected to bail as he felt Johnson would not return to court if she were allowed her pre-trial liberty. Additionally, he stated, she had offered to pay $200,000 compensation to Ramnarine.
However, Johnson’s lawyer, Jerome Khan, said that the story that was told by the police was a concoction that was made up by Ramnarine. The lawyer posited that all of the information about Ramnarine will soon come out during a trial and the court will find his client innocent. The lawyer also made an application for Johnson’s bail not to be of a substantial amount since she is a single mother.
Johnson was subsequently granted bail in the sum of $600,000 by the magistrate. She is to return to court on March 21 for report.
