A Rio Claro grandmother accused of tricking five people into giving her $150,000 in exchange for Government houses was yesterday remanded to the Women’s Prison, Arouca.
Soomaria Mahabal, 59, who was arrested at her home Deep Ravine Road on Friday appeared in the San Fernando First Magistrates’ Court on five charges of larceny by trick.
It is alleged that she took sums of money, totalling $153,270, from five people in Rio Claro between June and August 2015.
The charges arose from an allegation that she took the money claiming she was in a position to secure housing units for them from the Housing Development Corporation.
The mother of four was charged on Saturday by PCs David Cummings and Aaron Ramdial of the Fraud Squad following investigations headed by Snr Supt Totaram Dookie and supervised by ASP Kent Ghiysawan.
Mahabal’s attorney, Deedra-Lee Murray, request for bail before Deputy Chief Magistrate Nanette Forde John was turned down.
Instead, Forde-John transferred the matter to the Rio Claro Magistrates’ Court for today and remanded Mahabal into custody.