Latest update March 29th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 08, 2014 News
A 46-year-old father of three who claimed that he has reached the end of his scamming days after he managed to swindle over $17.1M from nine persons ended up in a city court and sentenced to a total of 19 years in jail.
Gopaul Tiwari, who for the second time was brought before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on fraud charges, apologised before he was sentenced. He said that he was tired of that life and has decided to turn over a new leaf.
Tiwari, from February 1 to May 31 this year, managed to defraud seven persons of a total of $13,360,000 promising that he can obtain and sell one Land Cruiser 2010 LX, an excavator, a parcel of commercial land, motor car, windows, used tires, three house lots, and building materials.
He faced the court, too, for managing to defraud two other persons last year between January 1 and April 30 of $3,800,000, promising the sale of three house lots and a Bedford truck.
When faced with the seven counts of obtaining by false pretense and two counts of fraudulent conversion, Tiwari owned up to the crimes but claimed that three of the totals for which he faced the court were less than stated in the charges.
During the hearing, one of the nine fraud victims, Richard Austin, came forth stating “Mr. Tiwari is a habitual offender. He does this often. I paid him the US$2000 but he never gave me the windows and building materials as he promised. There is another man here who he did the same thing to.”
Police Prosecutor, Corporal Bharat Mangru confirmed that the accused has been charged similarly before the courts. He said, however, that Tiwari was neither convicted nor had any of those matters pending before the courts.
Addressing the court, his attorney Paul Fung-a-Fat described his client as a “big businessman” from Lot 72 Crane, East Bank Demerara, who has a wife, three children and two grandchildren.
Beseeching the court to consider a “short return” for his client, Fung-a-Fat stated that Tiwari, now 46, grew up as a lonely child in a depressed area.
Turning to his client, the attorney said, “You could see from his face how sad and repentant he is. All these factors should be taken in account Your Worship. I’m begging you to please give him something small.”
Tiwari said “I’ve been here before you charged for the same thing but we had settled the matter. I finish this life. I ain’t able no more.”
The matter was stood down and recalled in the afternoon session where the Chief Magistrate indicated that she will be sentencing him to two years’ imprisonment on eight of the charges.
The charge which involved Austin (the victim present in court) would however carry a three- year jail term, she said.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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