CHARGED: 41-year-old Dhan Shyamraj
41-year-old Dhan Shyamraj of 28 Third Street Industry, East Coast Demerara and Deron Wishart of Mocha, East Bank Demerara were on Wednesday placed on $50, 000 dollars bail each when they appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Diamond Magistrates’ Court.
The two were charged under the Kidnapping Act for unlawfully restricting the movement of journalist Leroy Smith on June 15, 2021, at Richmond Ville Housing Development, a gated community which is owned by Luxury Realty Inc. and located at Providence, East Bank Demerara.
The DPP had recommended that Dhan Shyamraj and Deron Wishart be charged jointly with Wrongful Restraint of Leroy Smith contrary to Section 6 of the Kidnapping Act Chapter 10:05.
Deron Wishart, 24 is a security guard employed with Sheriff Security Service and is detailed to provide security to Richmond Ville Housing Development. Dhan Shyamraj who identified herself to the court as being self-employed performs the functions of property manager within the Richmond Ville Housing Development having been hired by Luxury Reality Inc. earlier this year.
The matter was read indictable to the two and they were initially not required to plea. The prosecutor then made an application to the court for the matter to be tried in the Magistrates’ Court rather than the High Court. The application was granted and the charge was re-read to the two accused who both pleaded not guilty.
When the Magistrate indicated that he was placing the two on $50,000 bail, Shyamraj could not have immediately presented the sum the court was imposing and begged the court for some time to accumulate the monies to bail the security guard and herself.
Dhan Shyamraj, after returning to the courtroom said she still did not have all the money begged the Magistrate to allow her to pay the bail in parts, the Magistrate informed the apparent financial strapped woman that what she was requesting is not the manner in which bail is posted. He then informed her that she can pay whatever money she has but that one of the accused would have to remain detained until the entire bail sum is paid, upon hearing this, the frightened woman who clearly had no intentions of going to jail, suddenly found the money to pay the bail, the same money she previously did not have.
On the afternoon of On June 15, 2021, Dhan Shyamraj with the assistance of the Sheriff Security Guard, Deron Wishart, prevent Leroy Smith from entering the Richmond Ville Housing Development at Providence East Bank Demerara although they were aware that he lives in the said gated community and had every right to enter and leave.
Since assuming the role, she has had several misunderstandings with a number of residents in the RichmondVille Housing Development over the manner in which she conducts her assigned duties.
Luxury Reality Inc. has also been taken to court by several persons with interest in the said community for a number of breaches to existing contracts among other things.
The matter was adjourned until August 11, 2021