Ex-policeman remanded for forgery, fraudulent demand of $35M at GBTI Diamond branch

Omari James, a 26-year-old labourer and former police officer from the Farm Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was remanded to prison on Monday after being charged with multiple counts of forgery and fraud.

Police reported that on 25 September 2025, at approximately 12:15 pm, James entered the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) Diamond branch, presenting himself to a teller with a National Identification card and a driver’s licence in the name of Shameer Ali. Both documents bore James’ photograph but contained a different date of birth — 25 August 1989 — and information inconsistent with the bank’s records.

Along with the identification, James presented a GBTI withdrawal slip in the name of Shameer Ali, requesting $35,000,000. The teller referred the documents to her supervisor, who discovered discrepancies between the presented identification and the bank’s database. Notably, the date of birth and photographs did not match the genuine records for Shameer Ali.

James was arrested and charged with:

• Two counts of Uttering a Forged Document, contrary to Section 245(b) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 08:01
• One count of Uttering a Forged Document, contrary to Section 277 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act
• One count of Demanding Money upon a Forged Instrument, contrary to Section 278(b) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act.

At his first appearance before Magistrate Wanda Fortune at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrate’s Court today, James pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was remanded to prison, with the matter adjourned to 31 October 2025 for further hearing.