An ambulance was summoned to the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court yesterday after a 53-year-old prisoner on five fraud charges collapsed after he was denied bail.
Pooran Sookdeo, of Exchange Estate, Couva, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate, Mark Wellington, facing five charges of presenting fraudulent cheques as payment for lumber and building material, dating back to last July.
Hospital officials said yesterday the prisoner was warded for a heart condition.
He was represented by attorney Ainsley Lucky, who pleaded with Wellington to grant his client bail. However, Wellington said considering the amount of charges, Sookdeo was likely to commit a similar offence if placed on bail.
Lucky told the court his client was not a flight risk and had no previous offences.
However, Wellington was not moved.
Moments later, Sookdeo collapsed in the prisoners’ dock and other prisoners raised an alarm.
Several court and processes officers rushed into the dock and succeeded in reviving Sookdeo. He was taken to the prisoners’ holding bay in the building’s basement and an ambulance was called.
A short time later, Sookdeo, still in handcuffs, was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital on a stretcher for treatment.
According to the charges read by Wellington in court, Sookdeo is accused of presenting a fraudulent cheque, valued at $18,400 for the purchase of lumber to Point Lisas Steel Products on July 9, 2014. The second charge alleges that on December 10, 2014, Sookdeo presented another fraudulent cheque, this one for $12,417, to purchase lumber from Chanderlal Parasam in Barrackpore. To this charge, Sookdeo pleaded not guilty.
The third and fourth charges allege that on December 12, 2014 and January 1, this year, respectively, Sookdeo again produced fraudulent cheques to Point Lisas Steel Products.
The fifth charge alleges that on July 17, Sookdeo produced a fraudulent cheque to Mukesh Ramkissoon for the purchase of lumber in Penal. Sookdeo pleaded not guilty to that charge.
Wellington transferred the Penal matter to the Siparia Magistrates’ Court and adjourned it until October 14.
The offences which allegedly took place in Couva where transferred to the Couva Magistrates’ Court and adjourned to October 15. The Barrackpore matter was adjourned to November 9, when it will be heard before Wellington again.