Three women, including a secondary school teacher, appeared in court yesterday charged with defrauding the North Central Regional Health Authority of over $4 million.
The women—Phern Spencer, 35, Stacy James, 27, and Jannel Jones, 29—are alleged to have committed the fraudulent acts between January 1 and December 1 at Sangre Grande.
The women were represented by attorneys Fareed Ali, Shawn Mahase and Patrick Godson-Phillips respectively when they appeared before Port-of-Spain Magistrate Christine Charles.
It is alleged that the women conspired to defraud the institution by fraudulently presenting cheques made out to T&T Medical and Industrial Supplies Ltd to Royal Bank, Sangre Grande.
The 21 cheques, each worth over $100,000 were all deposited into an account, over which the women had control.
Spencer faced two charges, one for conspiring to defraud the regional health authority and the other for allegedly forging the certificate of incorporation for the fake company. The latter charge is alleged to have occurred in Arima.
The other women had over a dozen charges each, James faced 15 charges of defrauding the health authority while Jones faced 21. The women were each granted bail despite objections by the state that the quantum of money allegedly stolen was high. They were each ordered to remain at their addresses given to the court and surrender their passports. Spencer, a teacher for ten years, was granted $350,000 bail and ordered not to move from her home at Mountain View Drive, Santa Cruz.
James, a doubles vendor, of Rampersad Trace, Toco Main Road, Sangre Grande, was granted $1 million bail and Jones was granted $1.2 million bail.
The women will re-appear in court on December 15 at the Sangre Grande Magistrates’ Court where the matter was transferred. They were arrested on December 3 and were only brought to court after a writ of habeas corpus was filed on behalf of the women challenging their prolonged detention.
A fourth suspect held was released without charge on Monday.