The prosecution yesterday opened its case against Fred Sukhdeo who is accused of attempting to pursue a bogus US$2M insurance claim following a fire at the Sacred Heart church on Christmas Day, 2004.Only one witness gave evidence yesterday since the other person who was scheduled to testify is currently hospitalized.
Around 10 witnesses are to testify in the case which is being heard before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton at the Georgetown's Magistrate's Court.
Sukhdeo and his two lawyers Sanjeev Datadin and Winston Murray were present in court yesterday.
Roman Catholic Bishop Francis Alleyne testified that when he was appointed Bishop in January 2004 he was responsible for all the catholic churches in Georgetown.
He told the court that the Sacred Heart Church was one of his responsibilities and he appointed a priest to be in charge of the parish.
According to Bishop Alleyne there were others within the parish who had responsibilities to assist the said church.
He testified that to his knowledge at the time of the fire the said church was uninsured and he later said that his information is that about ten years prior to the fire, a decision was taken to discontinue insurance regarding the said church.
The Bishop added that since he was appointed he did not employ any trustees for the church.
He recalled that in April 2005, he received a telephone call and spoke to an individual.
As a result of that call a man went to his office and they had a discussion.
Based on the information he received during that conversation, Bishop Alleyne said that he made a report to the Commissioner of Insurance Maria van Beek and later gave a written statement on which he signed his name.
He told the court that there is no other person who is authorized to sign on behalf of the church.
Following Bishop Alleyne's testimony, the prosecution called Bishop Benedict Singh to the stand.
However the court was later told that he is presently hospitalized.
The magistrate then set November 14 as the date for the continuation of the trial.
Since the trial for Sukhdeo, who is the alleged mastermind of the fraud, was set last year, the start of the case has suffered several delays.
When the matter was called in June the trial was again adjourned after the magistrate announced that she was giving priority to a narcotics matter since the defendants in the matter were on remand.
When the matter came up on March 21 the magistrate granted an adjournment when none of Sukhdeo's lawyers turned up.
It is alleged that on December 29, 2004, Sukhdeo with intent to defraud forged a certain document purporting to be a GuyFlag fire and perils claim for US$2M (approximately $400M) for the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church.
He is also accused of trying to obtain the said sum of money by virtue of a forged fire and perils claim form.
According to the facts of the case, GuyFlag submitted a bogus claim for payment to its reinsurance agent AON Re and Sukhdeo, who was the head of the sister operation, the National Cooperative Credit Union LTD. (NCCL) had been presented as a representative of the Catholic Church dealing with the fire.
It was when GuyFlag/Sukhdeo allegedly approached a claims adjuster here that the alleged scam was discovered. Investigations were carried out and it was discovered that the church had no policy with GuyFlag.
Sukhdeo was arrested on November 17, 2005 and placed on $50,000 station bail.
He was not charged until March the following year with forgery and endeavouring to obtain upon a forged document and made an appearance in the Georgetown Magistrate's Court on March 21.
He was released on $75,000 bail on that occasion.
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