Businessman lands in court over bribery attempt to Police

A 52-year-old man of Lot 3677 Robb and Cummings Streets, Georgetown, was on Tuesday remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman on a charge of obstruction of justice.

Narine Veersammy pleaded not guilty to a charge which stated on August 20, at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown, he corruptly offered an agent named Suraj Singh, an officer employed by the State of Guyana, the sum of G$400,000 as a reward or inducement for Singh to show favour to Dennis Veersammy in relation to his principal offers.

Defence Attorney Glen Hanoman in a bail application told the court that the accused had a vascular device inserted to his heart in April of this year in the United States, which he is still being treated for and has to return to the U.S. for continuation of treatment in September.

Hanoman noted that while his client was in custody, he had to be rushed to the hospital, and as such, he is pleading for reasonable bail.

The lawyer also told the court that his client’s health claim is supported by a host of medical documentation.

Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick told the court he has no objection to bail due to the defendant’s medical condition but requested that he stay away from the prosecution’s witnesses.

Magistrate Latchman refused the defendant bail on the grounds of the nature of the matter to obstruct justice.

Veersammy’s family burst into tears when the Magistrate made her decision which the defence attorney challenged since his client is sick, however the magistrate maintained her decision.

He will return to court on September 29.

It was reported that Veersammy, a relative of one of the accused in the Berbice murder of businessman Shameer Ali Mursalin, initially offered G$100,000 bribe to a CID agent and allegedly promised to deliver the remaining of the G$400,000 bribe on another day.

Mursalin, called “Kazac”, a trader, of Grant 1805 Weld Tank Dam, Crabwood Creek, Berbice, Corentyne, in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), was fatally shot to the head following  dispute with a fellow businessman on October 24, 2015.

Berbice businessman Dennis Veerasammy and two of his employees, Basheer Harrinauth and Delroy Fraser, were later arrested and charged with the murder.

The three men are facing a preliminary trial (PI) before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court in Berbice.