Two men were granted bail by Masters of the High Court after they were charged with multiple fraud offences arising out of separate incidents.

According to the TTPS, SHAFFICK ABDOOL, 63, of Freeport was charged with Possession of a forged Republic of Trinidad and Tobago National Identification Card, Uttering Forged Documents and Obtaining Money by False Pretences, when he appeared before the Court. He was granted bail in the sum of $80,000.

Reports indicate that a man went to a supermarket in the Cunupia district on January 13th, 2024, where he presented an identification card and Senior Citizen Pension (SCP) Cheques for encashment. The documents were accepted as genuine and the man was paid $3,500 for each cheque. The documents were later found to be allegedly fraudulent.

The man is then said to have proceeded to another grocery in the district where he presented another identification card and cheque. However, the documents were found to be allegedly fraudulent and the police were contacted. Officers of the Cunupia Police Station responded and arrested the man who was subsequently handed over to the Fraud Squad.

Investigations were spearheaded by Supt. Arnold Lutchman and W/Insp. Tricia Smith, and assisted by Cpls Murray and Williams and PCs Ramkissoon, Kernahan and WPC Jointe, all of the Fraud Squad. Abdool was charged with the offences by PC Thomas also of the Fraud Squad.

In the second incident, Fraud Squad officers were conducting enquiries at a supermarket on January 16th, 2024, when a man entered and presented an identification card and SCP cheque for encashment. The documents were allegedly found to be fraudulent and the man arrested.

MINSHELL KHAN, 55, of D’Abadie, was arrested and charged with Possession of a forged Republic of Trinidad and Tobago National Identification Card, Uttering Forged Documents and Obtaining Money by False Pretences, by PC Kernahan, of the Fraud Squad.

The accused appeared before a Master of the High Court and was granted bail in the sum of $50,000 with a cash alternative. The Fraud Squad urges the business community to be wary of the circulation of fraudulent SCP cheques and to scrutinise the cheques to identify any irregularities such as spelling errors, different fonts and incomplete signatures.

Concerning the national identification cards which are presented, the Fraud Squad advises businesses to check with the Elections and Boundaries Commission website to verify the authenticity of the card.