A Penal grandmother accused of attempting to change a fraudulent cheque made out for the sum of over $700,000 was yesterday granted $120,000 bail.
Judy Lewis, 64, who was arrested last Friday appeared before San Fernando First Court Senior Magistrate Cherril-Ann Antoine on three charges arising out of the incident. She was allowed to obtain her freedom by depositing a cash alternative of $20,000 It is alleged on September 28, Lewis took the cheque dated September 12, in the sum of $756, 257 to First Citizens bank in Penal where she attempted to cash it.
The cheque was made out to her alleged company Village Improvement Construction Company and drawn on the account of T&T Civil Aviation Authority. It is alleged that she also uttered two false valuable securities - the banker’s cheque and a letter about an agreement between the Authority and her alleged company to pay the sum of money.
She was charged by WPC Michelle Kissoon-Singh following inquires supervised by Snr Supt Totaram Dookhie and ASP Kent Ghiysawan of the Fraud Squad.
In his bail application, Lewis’ attorney Jeevan Rampersad said his client, a mother of seven and grandmother of 14 grandchildren, is a contractor with the Forestry Division. Lewis said her scope of work includes cutting “bush” and planting trees. Rampersad said Lewis had a clean record, apart from these allegations, and suffers from an ulcerated stomach. Police prosecutor Cleyon Seedan confirmed she had no previous brushes with the law. The matter was adjourned to today and transferred to the Siparia Magistrates Court.