Couple charged with ‘laundered’ $ granted bail

A man and his wife appeared in the Couva magistrates’ court, yesterday, on charges relating to stealing over $400,000 from the compound of Super Industrial Services (SIS’s) on Sunday.

The charges stemmed from discovery on Wednesday of approximately $250,000 inside a washing machine at a house in Chaguanas by police officers.

Joel Cuffy, 50, and Vashti Seenath, 52, were each granted bail of $100,000 by magistrate Christine Charles. The charges were laid indictably by PC Kevin Hercules of the Couva CID and prosecuted by Sgt Darryl Honore.

The magistrate read the charge to Cuffy that on Sunday at Rivulet Road, Couva, he broke into the office of Phoenix Welding & Fabricating Ltd and stole $400,407.86. The charge read to Seenath alleged that she received the money at their Thompson Street, Palmiste, Longdenville, home knowing it to be stolen.

Attorney Kyle Fortuné seeking bail for the couple said Cuffy had no previous or pending matters. Cuffy is employed as a crane inspector with SIS and is the father of two daughters.

In seeking bail for Seenath, Fortuné said, “She has been incarcerated since Monday and I would like the court to take into consideration her clean record.”

In granting bail, Charles told Cuffy and Seenath that if they were to relocate to a different address, they must, within 48 hours, notify the Couva Police Station. The magistrate also ordered the couple to report to that police station on Fridays and Saturdays between the hours of 6 am to 8 pm. They are to reappear on January 11.