Former Petrojam officials plead not guilty to fraud charges
Published:Wednesday | March 17, 2021 | 11:35 AM
Former Petrojam general manager Floyd Grindley and his former chairman Dr Perceval Bahado-Singh this morning pleaded not guilty to fraud-related offences allegedly committed at the state-owned oil refinery.
They remain on bail until tomorrow morning when they are to return to the Corporate Area Parish Court before Chief Parish Court judge Chester Crooks.
This morning Crooks ordered the men to surrender their travel documents.
When they return to court tomorrow, the judge could impose further bail conditions and could also adjust the bond amount.
Bahado-Singh is charged with 12 counts of obtaining money by means of false pretence while Grindley is charged with eight counts of aiding and abetting obtaining money by means of false pretence.
It is alleged that Bahado-Singh fraudulently claimed several reimbursements and was paid monies by the state-own oil refinery for overseas business trips that he did not attend.
The false claims amounted to US$73,620, according to the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency.
The offences happened between December 2016 and May 2018.
Both Grindley and Bahado-Singh were axed in 2018 as a multimillion-dollar corruption scandal alleging irregularities, nepotism and cronyism engulfed Petrojam.
It also led to the resignation of Energy Minister Dr Andrew Wheatley.
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