By Latrishka Thomas
The police are continuing to uncover more incidents of crime alleged to have been committed by two Customs brokers.
Rowan Matthew of Judges Hill Estate and Foston George of Pares Village are facing several charges for alleged scams against the Customs department where they are said to have acquired a large sum of money.
The duo saw about four cases of fraud against them already committed to the High Court on different dates this year.
But yesterday they were summoned to court again on new charges for three different incidents.
The new charges include electronic forgery, cheating public revenue and obtaining money by false pretences.
As in the previous cases, they are believed to have used duty-free concession codes from the government to avoid paying taxes, and pocketing money from their clients.
In these latest charges, they are alleged to have obtained almost $83,000 in total from as far back as 2017.
In February, one of the cases where they are charged alongside Customs Officer Joesine Christian was committed to the May 2023 assizes.
In that matter, the three defendants are jointly charged with conspiracy to defraud in relation to a 2017 incident at Deep Water Harbour in which they reportedly gained a large sum of money from Customs.
Christian is also charged with cheating the public revenue and corruption in public office.
The two brokers are facing additional charges of obtaining money by false pretences and making a false declaration.
In May, Matthew and another Customs Officer, Jeanette Browne, saw their case sent up to the higher court for similar offences.
Then, in June, two more matters involving George and Matthew were committed for the two to go before a High Court judge any time after September.
The two men are charged with cheating the public revenue, obtaining by false pretences, conspiracy to defraud, making a false declaration, electronic forgery, fraudulent conversion, and disposing of proceeds of crime, all in relation to offences believed to have been committed between January and August 2018.
They were further jointly charged with one count each of cheating the public revenue, conspiracy to defraud, making a false declaration, obtaining by false pretences, disposing of proceeds of crime, fraudulent conversion, and electronic forgery.
And in each case, the defendants are said to have defrauded different individuals.
The women reportedly aided them in committing the alleged crimes.
Yesterday, the men were placed under similar bail conditions as in their previous matters.
Their bond was set at $85,000 to suit the amount of money they are alleged to have illegally obtained under the new complaints and they each must provide two new sureties.
Their reporting conditions remain the same.
