A Port Mourant scrap metal dealer was yesterday charged with the simple larceny of over $60 million in heavy-duty equipment and vehicles.
Bheem Sewsankar, also known ‘Kun,’ 51, appeared before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Springlands Magistrate Court.
The equipment and vehicles, which were the property of Turhane Doerga, had a total value of $60.4 million, the court heard.
It was alleged that Sewsankar, with another person, between October 29 and November 2, at Bank Road, Corriverton, Berbice, stole, among other things, a complete 5-tonne forklift, valued at $5 million; three diesel tanks, valued at $2 million, an incomplete engine, valued at $200,000; an automatic steel rod bender, valued at $750,000; an incomplete 2.5-tonne forklift, valued at $500,000; the side walls and floor of a trailer, valued at $300,000; aluminum flooring of a Stalwart amphibious vehicle, valued at $200,000; a quantity of conveyors, elevator ducting and cyclones, valued at $1 million; a 560-ft flat rubber belt, valued at $2.2 million; a quantity of roller belts, valued at $3 million; a quantity of steel framing, valued at $2 million; a quantity of spare sheets, valued at $300,000; a quantity of trailers with industrial wheels, valued at $12 million; a quantity of incomplete engines, valued at $1.5 million; four generators heads, valued at $2 million; a quantity of motors, valued at $1 million; one ISUZU dump truck tray with cylinders, valued at $850,000; a quantity of hubs, valued at $2 million; a truck, valued at $7 million; a quantity of steel beams, valued at $1.5 million; two generators, valued at $7 million; power cable, valued at $800,000; a blower fan, valued at $500,000; and a blower feed mill, valued at $2 million.
Sewsankar, who was unrepresented, was not required to plead to the charge and Magistrate Singh subsequently granted him his release on $300,000 bail.
The father of two will return to court on November 15.
The items were being kept at a warehouse, located at Lot 1 Bank Road, Corriverton, by Doerga, who is the director of the Black Bush Milling Company and the Raghubar Rice Industries Inc.
Stabroek News was told that a manager placed a man, identified by the name Zakir, and his wife, Pooja, as caretakers of the Bank Road property. This publication was informed, that on November 2, the manager visited the location and discovered that Zakir and his wife were nowhere to be found and that items mentioned in the charge had been removed from the compound. The matter was immediately reported to the Springlands Police Station.
A police source noted that Sewsankar claimed that he bought the items for a total of $2 million from Zakir. However, the source said that he was unable to produce a receipt to confirm the purchase.
