Amid prosecution delay court denies further bail reduction for fraud accused

The fraud case against Omeca Primo, the owner of Primo’s Imports and Taxi Service, was called again on Friday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty, however, the hearing faced setbacks.
Prosecutor David Brathwaite, who had been handling the case, was absent, and a new prosecutor had to take over. The new prosecutor informed the court that he had attempted to contact Brathwaite to get an update on the matter but was unsuccessful. As a result, he was not fully prepared to proceed.

Given the prosecution’s lack of readiness, Primo’s attorney, Everton Singh-Lammy, attempted to make another application for a further reduction in bail. He argued that because the prosecution was not prepared, it was only fair that the bail be reconsidered.
However, Magistrate McGusty refused the request, stating that she was not prepared to further reduce the bail. She maintained that the current amount was reasonable and saw no grounds to lower it again.
However, Singh-Lammy acknowledged that while it was not the prosecution’s fault that Primo was charged, it was their responsibility to be ready to proceed. Despite his arguments, the magistrate upheld her decision.
The case has been adjourned to March 21 for disclosure.
Primo was initially charged with 68 counts of fraud and was granted bail set at $20.4 million, with each charge carrying a $300,000 bail. Her attorney later requested a reduction, arguing that the amount was excessive. Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty then lowered the total bail to $5.1 million, setting it at $75,000 per charge.
Primo is accused of orchestrating a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme, reportedly collecting over $51.57 million from customers under false pretences. She allegedly promised to deliver vehicles that never materialized, targeting victims across Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, and Ten.
Investigators revealed that Primo actively tried to evade detection by changing her phone number, relocating her business, and even rebranding her company. The prosecution has also indicated that some victims reported being intimidated.
The Criminal Investigations Department’s (CID) Anti-Fraud Unit suspects that the scale of the alleged fraud may be even larger and has urged additional victims to come forward.