Friday, March 29, 2024

San Pedro Clerk of Court charged for fraud

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A clerk at the San Pedro Magistrate Court is out on bail after she appeared before the very same magistrate court she worked at, for charges of fraud. The accused is Diedra Casanova of a DFC area address in San Pedro Town. The charges originated from a preliminary investigation conducted where it was found that she intended to defraud the Belize Treasury Department.

Casanova was detained on Wednesday, November 16th by San Pedro Police. In court she was read charges for the missing sums of $500 on the 22nd of March 2010, $100 in July 2010, $300 on the 16th of July 2010, $200 on the 12th of August 2010 and $500 on the 26th August 2010, totaling $1,600.

While the charges are indictable, bail was offered. Police Prosecutor Sergeant Ernel Dominguez did not object to bail and thus was granted. Bail was granted for the sum of $3,000 for each count of fraud plus a surety in the same amount for each count. Casanova is to surrender all travel documents to police and was instructed not to visit or go near the San Pedro Magistrate Court and have no contact with any prosecutor involved in the trial. Casanova is to reappear in court on December 20th, 2011.

OFFICIAL POLICE REPORT:

FORGERY
On Tuesday, 26th October, 2011 Ms. Patricia Arana, resident Magistrate of San Pedro Magistrate’s Court was made aware of some irregularities on a Revenue Collector’s Receipt (RCR). The finance officer from Magistracy Department Erlina Leiva and an assistant clerk of court immediately launched an investigation into the matter, where various other financial discrepancies were observed. Maria Rodriguez from the Auditor General Office then conducted an investigation into the matter where $6,090.00bcy. property of the Government of Belize was unaccounted for. RCR #1011241 dated 22/3/10 amounted on duplicate receipt changed from $1,000.00 to $500.00bcy; RCR # C93234-10 dated 30/7/10 amounted on duplicate receipt changed from $205.00 to $105.00bcy; RCR #1014962 dated 16/7/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $605.00bcy to $305.00bcy; RCR # C76100-10 dated 12/10/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $425.00 to $225.00bcy, RCR # C-93440-10 dated 26/8/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $1,005.00 to $505.00bcy; RCR # C93442.10 dated 26/8/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $300.00 to $100.00bcy; RCR #1614720 dated 14/6/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $200.00 to $100.00bcy; RCR # C93275-10 dated 10/8/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $1,005.00 to $505.00bcy; RCR # C93276-10 dated 10/8/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $1,005.00 to $505.00bcy, RCR #C76708-10 dated 15/10/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $155.00 to $105.00bcy. Those were settlement of court fines. Compensation for third parties are as follows: RCR # C76707-10 dated 15/10/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $200.00 to $100.00bcy, RCR # C932231-10 dated 30/7/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $400.00 to $200.00bcy, RCR # C93231-10 dated 30/7/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $1,130.00 to $900.00bcy, RCR # C93416-10 date 19/8/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $350.00 to $150.00bcy, RCR # C76709-10 date 15/10/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $200.00 to $100.00bcy. Confiscation of bail is as follows: RCR # C76069-10 date 4/10/10 amount on duplicate receipt changed from $1000.00 to $500.00bcy. Settlement of court fine are as follows: RCR # C93273-10 date 10/8/10 receipt made out for $505.00bcy- only amount collected on court book/client Ledger $1,005.00bcy, RCR # C93274-10 date 10/8/10 receipt made out for $505.00bcy only amount collected as per court book/client ledger $1,005.00bcy, RCR # 1014729 date 15/6/10 receipt made out for $405.00bcy, no court book/client ledger found. Amount on original receipt #865.00bcy, RCR # 1011277 date 30/3/10 receipt made out for $55.00bcy only in which person paid $105.00bcy, figures were scratched and initial “D.C”. Court book documents, (7) RCR books, (3) RCR with # C93416-10;#1014729 and # C76707-10 were handed over to investigators. Police also received three Revenue Collectors’ Receipt (RCR) during the investigation with numbers C93234-10; C76100-10 and C76069-10. As a result Police formally arrested and charged Deidra Casanova, 23yrs, Interpreter/clerk for San Pedro Magistrate’s Court of D.F.C area, San Pedro Town, for five counts of “Forgery”. Investigation continues.

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