Fifty-nine-year-old Norbert Bailey, a father of three from Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), faced six charges in connection to a loan and vehicle scam when he appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday.
Police stated that between November 14, 2023, and December 8, 2023, at Georgetown, he received $796,000 from six persons by falsely pretending he was in a position to grant them cash loans and purchase a car for them when he was not in a position to do so.
Bailey, who had no legal representation, was not required to plea to the indictable charges.
Facts revealed that he convinced people he could get them a loan and as such collected $120,000 from Onicka Nedd; $120,000 from Kevin June; $85,000 from George Springer; $100,000 from Anandy Blair, and $150,000 from Jacklyn Blair.
Apart from that, he collected $221,000 from Oliver Latchmie under the pretence that he could buy a motor car for him.
Given the gravity of the accusations and the fact that he still had charges pending in Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for comparable offences, Police Prosecutor Christopher Morris was strongly opposed to the defendant being freed on bail.
The prosecutor stated that additional charges will be brought against Bailey because the Police are now looking into similar claims against him. Bailey was a flight risk, Morris told the court, and the Police could not locate him at the address he provided them with during their inquiry.
Morris submitted that Bailey should not be granted bail as a result. Magistrate Bess stated that the accused was charged with an offence for which he is eligible for bail, but acknowledged the objections raised by the prosecutor.
Ultimately, the presiding Magistrate granted the defendant $150,000 bail on each of the six accusations, subject to the requirement that he report to the Brickdam Police Station every Monday and turn in his passport to the Court Clerk pending the outcome of the proceedings.
Bailey has to post $900,000 bail and his next court date is February 9. Similar charges were filed against Bailey and his employer, Clayton Allen, in 2022. These matters are still engaging the courts.
Allen, 63, the owner of Micro Business Developers and Consultancy Company, has appeared in court on multiple occasions to answer to fraud-related allegations.
In 2018, Allen, a resident of South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was found guilty of getting six motor cars from an auto dealership by forging a $26.3 million manager’s check.
As a result, he was sentenced to 36 months in prison.
