Latest update December 4th, 2024 2:18 AM
Attorney accuses prosecutor of attempting to pervert trial
Tiffany Peters
Attorney Latchmie Rahamat has accused Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones of attempting to pervert the trial of Tiffany Peters, who is accused of stealing $1.2M from the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The lawyer made the allegations yesterday during the trial of Peters – who was pardoned by President David Granger last year from serving a jail term after being convicted for stealing $3.2M from the City Court – after raising objections about several documents being admitted into evidence because they were not original, but rather, the copy of a copy.
Attorney Rahamat revealed that she was informed by Attorney Leslie Benjamin, who is also doing the case, that she observed a gentleman outside the courtroom signing original documents.
The lawyer further stated that after the documents were signed they were handed over to the prosecutor, who was seated in court while the trial was ongoing.
When given an opportunity to respond, Prosecutor Jones, who is attached to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), explained to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan that Attorney Latchman had brought the matter to his attention.
According to Prosecutor Jones, the witness, Corporal Shivalall Bridgelall told him that he was signing a true reflection of a report he prepared in relation to the matter back in 2012.
Nevertheless, the Attorney made it clear that she will report the matter to the relevant authorities.
Earlier on in the trial, Corporal Bridgelall was called to give evidence, during which he told the court that he travelled to the New Amsterdam prison, where Peters was an inmate, and showed her documents he received from an individual.
The police witness recounted that he told Peters of an allegation that between January 12 and August 7, 2012, while being employed as a clerk/servant at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, she stole $1.2M. Peters has been released on self bail.
According to Corporal Bridgelall, he cautioned the woman who replied, “I would give you a statement, but not under caution. I just want you to write down what I have to say.”
Corporal Bridgelall told the court that he obtained a statement from Peters.
The statement, the police witness added, was taken to the Criminal Investigation Department at Eve Leary, Georgetown, and then dispatched to the DPP for advice.
This trial will continue next week Tuesday.
In relation to the alleged theft of $1.2M from the court, Peters, 26, of Lot 35 Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara was arrested by police ranks while applying for a police clearance.
After her prison pardon, her lawyer told the court that she was a beneficiary of the SKYPE Programme through which she learnt a trade.
In October 2014, Peters was found guilty by Magistrate Judy Latchman of stealing $3, 045,000 from the City Court between February 7 and September 11, 2012. She was jailed for 60 months.
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