A final-year law student, her sister and her brother-in-law, accused of trying to defraud a commercial bank of $21,000, were remanded into custody, yesterday, to reappear in the Couva Magistrates’ Court today.
Abigail Jessica Paris, 21, her sister Cecelia Paris, 27, and Cecelia’s common-law husband Richard Mitchell, 22, were charged on Wednesday.
They appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
They were arrested following investigations headed by Snr Supt Totaram Dookie, supervised by ASP Kent Ghiysawan and including Cpl Badree and Buchoo.
The charges were laid by PC Hosein of the San Fernando Fraud Squad.
It is alleged that between August 29 and September 30, Abigail, Cecelia and Mitchell conspired to defraud state-owned bank First Citizens, Couva, of $21,000 by applying for a loan, claiming that Abigail was employed at San Fernando City Hall and received a monthly salary of $6,000. She faced four additional charges.
Two of the charges alleged that on September 30, Abigail uttered a forged payslip and job letter from the San Fernando Carnival Committee, stating she was employed there and received a $6,000 salary.
The two other charges alleged that with intent to defraud she submitted a forged payslip and job letter in her name from the Carnival Committee.
Cecelia, who previously worked at the corporation, was also charged with stealing a $250 stamp between July and September from the Carnival Committee. She pleaded not guilty to that charge.
Prosecutor Ramdath Phillip did not object to bail for Cecelia on that charge. She was granted $5,000 bail with her aunt as her surety on that charge.
Cecelia has to reappear in the San Fernando First Court for that matter on December 5.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Nanette Forde-John, however, did not entertain a bail application from attorney Chantal Paul, who represented all three accused in relation to the other charges.
The magistrate denied them bail and transferred the fraud matters to the Couva Magistrates’ Court for today.