Better Hope goldsmith Richard Ramjit will today appear in court to answer charges in connection with his gold and silver jewellery which was seized by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) in January at the airport.
Sometime after SOCU officials visited his home yesterday and conducted a search for evidence of money laundering, Ramjit was informed that he will be charged with exporting gold without a licence and failing to declare jewellery. The two pieces of jewellery – a band and a neckwear together weighing 19.12 ounces – have an estimated value of $3,943,360 and remain in the possession of SOCU.
Former attorney general Anil Nandlall who represents Ramjit said in an invited comment that the institution of charges is nothing more than an abuse of process.
He informed that ranks armed with a search warrant raided his client’s East Coast Demerara home. Nandlall said that as far as he was aware nothing was found and when the search had ended Ramjit was invited to the Camp Street-based SOCU Headquarters were he was informed that he would be charged. Ramjit is scheduled to appear in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
Following the January 19 seizure, Nandlall had filed a $10 million lawsuit
