Cops on bail for forgery, larceny

Two ranks attached to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Finance Department were released on bail on Thursday after they were slapped with several larceny and forgery-related offences.

Woman Police Corporal 25928, Felisha Lewis and Special Corporal 15624, Kelroy Doris, appeared before Chief Magistrate (ag), Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Doris was charged with five counts of Larceny by a public officer and one count of forgery while Lewis faced three counts of forgery and one count of Larceny by a public officer.

Both ranks, who are stationed at the GPF Mounted Branch, Eve Leary, Georgetown, were not required to plea to the charges.

Doris was placed on $120,000 bail while Lewis was granted bail in the sum of $80,000. The matters were adjourned to July 14 for statements.

The charges were laid by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). The crimes were allegedly committed between the period of December 2022 and February 2023

In a press statement, SOCU said that in December 2022, the Force had awarded several ranks with incentives for their outstanding performances.

Some of these ranks, SOCU said, are from the GPF Mounted Branch.

SOCU explained that during February 2023, a number of ranks attached to the Force Mounted Branch and Canine Section reported that they were made to sign Musketry and Incentive pay sheet for December 2022 by Lewis and Doris at the Mounted Branch Registry.

“The amount of money they were made to sign for on the pay sheets was hidden from them and it was later revealed that they were given less monies from which were allocated for them by the Guyana Police Force. In instances, some ranks claimed that they did not sign the said pay sheets,” the statement from SOCU said.

And, seven ranks did not receive the amount awarded to them. As such, the matter was reported to SOCU and an investigation was launched.

According to SOCU, the probe revealed that Doris and Lewis short-paid several ranks of the Mounted Branch and Canine Section, and on some occasions, they allegedly forged the signatures of several ranks and converted the monies to their own use.

The charges were laid based on legal advice obtained.