Car fraud allegation: Taxi service owner released on $20.4M bail

Omeca Primo, owner of Primo’s Imports and Taxi Service, was placed on $20.4 million bail on Monday after appearing before Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. Primo, is accused of orchestrating a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme spanning multiple regions in Guyana. She now faces 68 charges.

Represented by her attorney Everton Singh-Lammy, Primo’s case remains indictable, with no plea entered as of yet. Her attorney successfully argued for bail, citing her constitutional rights and accusing the prosecution of being unprepared to move the case forward. According to the defence, delays in disclosure and procedural inefficiencies have hindered the prosecution’s progress, making the prolonged denial of bail unjustifiable.
This ruling marks a significant shift in the legal battle. At a prior hearing on November 13, the prosecution, led by Prosecutor Melvin Scott, had vigorously objected to bail. Scott highlighted Primo’s history of evasion, revealing that she had gone into hiding for weeks before being apprehended through a police sting operation.
“The accused has repeatedly changed her phone number, business location, and even rebranded her enterprise to avoid detection, complicating the investigation,” Scott told the court at the time. He further argued that granting bail could jeopardise public confidence in the justice system and pose risks to victims, some of whom have reported intimidation.
Primo is accused of collecting over $51.57 million from customers under false pretences, promising vehicle deliveries that never materialised. Victims hail from across Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Five (Mahaica-Berbice); Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), with many alleging significant financial losses.
During Monday’s proceedings, it was revealed that the case remains complex, with more charges expected to emerge as the investigation unfolds.
The Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) Anti-Fraud Unit has called for additional victims to come forward, believing the scale of the alleged fraud could be even larger than currently documented. (G9)