Exhibits in former GRDB accountant’s trial go missing

Several exhibits to be used as evidence during the trial of former accountant of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Peter Ramcharran could not be found last week when the case resumed at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court before Chief Magistrate McLennan.

Upon resumption of the matter, Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes appeared on behalf of Ramcharran, who was previously represented by Attorney Sase Gunraj.
Nevertheless, the hearings proceeded with the continuation of defence witness Leslie Veerasammy’s testimony.
However, when a request was made to have the witness identify exhibits, the Chief Magistrate subsequently ordered a short adjournment. On resuming, the court was informed that the evidence material could not be found.
As such, the matter was adjourned and set for January 6, 2020, when another witness will be called to give evidence.
Ramcharran was slapped with 39 fraud charges in March 2019, after being extradited from Canada.
The Chief Magistrate is dealing with 22 of the cases, while Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus will preside over the 17 charges of keeping fraudulent accounts.
Particulars of the first five charges allege that between the years 2011 and 2015, Ramcharran, while being the accountant of GRDB, failed to enter some $414 million in the GRDB’s ledger.
Ramcharran was slapped with 17 other charges which allege that he, along with former General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Jagnarine Singh and his deputy, Madanlall Ramraj, omitted entries into the company’s ledger.
The charges allege that Ramcharran failed to enter true entries of over $4.2 million into the company’s ledger, knowing that it was contrary to standard operating procedures between 2011 and 2012, at the company’s Lot 16-17 Cowan Street, Kingston head office.
The other charges allege that Ramcharran along with Singh and Ramraj fraudulently took $5.1 million or used the sum for their own use and benefit, or any use and purpose other than that of the GRDB.
The matters are being prosecuted by Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) Prosecutor, Patrice Henry.