A 21-year-old man was yesterday granted bail after being read three fraud charges, where he allegedly obtained a total of $5,825,000 from his underage friends.
Micah Sonaram, of 2273 Flying Fish Street, Festival City, North Ruimveldt, was brought before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who read three fraud charges to him which involved minors.
The first charge alleged that Sonaram, between October 1, 2017 and October 31, 2017, at Georgetown, fraudulently obtained $5,500,000 from two minors by falsely pretending that he was in a position to import a motor pickup vehicle, knowing same to be false.
It was further alleged that the defendant, between the said dates, and at the very location, fraudulently obtained $300,000 from the said minors, by falsely pretending that he was in a position to grant a firearm and a firearm licence, knowing same to be false.
The final charge stated that Sonaram, between September 1, 2017 and September 30, 2017 fraudulently obtained $25, 000 from the minors by falsely pretending that he was in a position to obtain an identification card, knowing same to be false.
The defendant, who works with his uncle who is a miner, denied the three charges.
The defendant’s attorney
requested reasonable bail for her client, citing that he was not a flight risk.
After the attorney would have made her bail request, Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore, made no objection to bail being granted then stated that the defendant, along with the minors are all friends and were drinking together.
When asked by the Chief Magistrate to go a little deeper into the facts, the prosecutor requested that the courtroom be cleared, given the age of the complainants.
The courtroom was then cleared and the remainder of the matter held in an in camera setting.
Sonaram, at the closure of the court session, was granted $150,000 bail and the matter was adjourned to January 11, 2018.
