$60,000 bail for couple
2 accused of defrauding Jack and wife
By Jensen LaVende jensen.lavende@trinidadexpress.com
THE Barataria couple accused of defrauding National Security Minister Jack Warner and his wife were each granted $30,000 bail yesterday when they appeared before a Port of Spain magistrate.
Routie Sunita Rampersad, 42, and her husband, Shivanand Bhagwandas, 56, were jointly charged with defrauding Warner and his wife, Maureen, on November 13, 2007; January 22, 2008 and February 20, 2008.
The couple, who allegedly committed the offences in San Juan and Chaguanas, appeared in Port of Spain yesterday to answer a total of nine charges.
Rampersad has three separate charges which occurred on October 28, 2007, January 5, 2008 and February 12, 2008.
Her husband, who was not brought to court yesterday, is also charged individually with defrauding the Warners on January 22, 2008, February 20, 2008 and November 13, 2007.
The couple will re-appear in the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court today on an additional 105 charges.
Defence attorney Mansergh Griffith, who represented the couple along with Larry Williams, told Magistrate Marcia Murray that the couple would be willing to submit themselves to any condition, once bail is obtained.
Griffith said the couple, both gardeners, have strong ties to the Eleventh Street, Barataria community, as well as strong family support and they were not a flight risk.
He asked that bail be “reasonable”, given that the couple, who have no criminal record, are of low means, prompting Murray to reply that she always set “reasonable bail”.
Griffith said while the couple lived at Barataria, Bhagwandas had been living at his garden, located at Bourg Mulatresse, for the past three months.
After listening to Griffith’s plea and court prosecutor, Insp Kenneth Morgan, who objected to bail, citing the nature and seriousness of the offences as his reason, Murray granted the couple bail with the condition that they report to Barataria Police Station every Friday between 6 a.m and 6 p.m.
Murray allowed Rampersad’s aunt, Sylvia Samaroo, to stand bail for her after informing her that failure to ensure that Rampersad attends court would result in her (Samaroo) forfeiting $30,000.
Murray, after informing Bhagwandas’ mother of the same responsibilities, allowed his brother, Shyam Bhagwandas, to stand as surety since she (Murray) thought that the elderly woman could not “manage the burden” of ensuring her son attends court.
The matter was then adjourned to May 9.