Woman charged

A CHAGUANAS woman appeared in the Port of Spain Magistrates Court charged with fleecing Portuguese nationals of thousands of dollars to obtain work permits. Prembakthi Samaroo, 30, of Montrose Place, Lange Park appeared before First Court Magistrate Kerri Honore-Narine on two larceny charges.

It is alleged that on November 3, Samaroo stole $27,000 and between September 29, 2017 and October 15, 2017, she stole $50,000. The offences were alleged to have occurred in Chaguanas and Valsayn. Prosecutor Sgt Azard Ali asked for the bail granted by a justice of the peace at the police station to be revoked.

He said there was a concern since Samaroo had multiple addresses, adding that the police officer who charged her, PC Verne Dubois, was also against her being granted bail by the JP. Samaroo’s attorney Kiev Chesney dismissed the prosecutor’s claims, saying his client is a single mother who had been visited by police on two occasions at her address.

He said his client is willing to submit to any bail condition the court imposes and has a vested interest in being exonerated and clearing her reputation.

Chesney also said she is willing to surrender her passport. Honore-Narine rejected the prosecutor’s submissions and certified the previous bail amount, which was not disclosed in court.

Samaroo, the owner of Blue Range Real Estate and former director of Rustic Tiles, was arrested earlier this week by the Fraud Squad. The matter was transferred to the Chaguanas Magistrates Court, where she will reappear on May 1.