Relatives charged in ‘fake kidnapping’ report of US citizen

Two relatives of Rohan Kirpaul Mangra – a United States citizen – were charged with giving false information about an alleged kidnapping to the police when they appeared in the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

Indira Gilda, 38, and Lalta Gilda, 52, of UG Road, Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara, were placed on $50,000 bail each.

They appeared before Magistrate Alice George and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The duo will return to court on May 13, 2022, Police Headquarters reported in a press release.

The 29-year-old US citizen left his Cummings Lodge home on March 15 and his relatives reported him missing on March 17 and offered a $1 million reward for his safe return.

Relatives had also provided the police with a photograph of Mangra showing his mouth covered with duct tape which they say was sent to them via WhatsApp from an unknown person.

But five days later, Mangra was found in a Hadfield Street, Georgetown Hotel. Several of his associates were also arrested and questioned by ranks from the Major Crimes Unit, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters.

Mangra, when questioned by investigators, revealed that he was not abducted and went to the hotel of his own free will.