A woman from Central Islands Province accused of obtaining more than $40,000 under false pretence appeared in the Honiara magistrates’ court, Monday.
Cathy Roy is facing five counts of false pretence.
Police alleged that between June and July 2014, Roy of JR Construction & Property Real Estate Company obtained $44,600.67 by false pretence.
It was alleged that in early 2014, the accused called in at the complainant’s office at Tasahe and proposed to bring prospective renters for his apartments under the conditions that the property must be insured.
The complainant Peter Zheng is the Managing Director of Far East Enterprise LTD, in Honiara who is residing at his apartment at Tasahe.
Court documents revealed that the accused personally recommended Tower Insurance and allegedly offered to act as Zheng’s proxy to make payment to the insurance company.
She allegedly specifically told Zheng that Tower Insurance does not accept any company’s cheque and only accepted cash.
The accused also allegedly claimed her clients were waiting to sign the lease agreement and would move in soon.
She allegedly insisted on insuring the house by paying cash, which she could take to the insurance company and pay on Zheng’s behalf.
However, on 10 June 2014, Zheng issued a Westpac cashier’s cheque in the sum of $14,000 for the accused to cash from the Bank with the full intention that she would then make cash payments to Tower Insurance for the first house.
On 16 June 2014, Cathy allegedly claimed that the insurance company had made a mistake because $14,000 does not include insurance of the contents within the house.
As a result, Zheng gave the accused $5,800 in cash for her to sort out the insurance payment for the first house, which she allegedly claimed her clients were waiting to sign the lease agreement upon seeing the insurance certificates.
It was later alleged Cathy told Zheng that the manager of the insurance from Papua New Guinea (PNG) had confirmed to rent the apartment.
However, Cathy said that person’s work permit was not yet issued to him from the Labour Division, so she went to help him sort out his work permit.
Therefore she had no time to sign the lease agreement with other clients from Oxfam International and Bishop Brothers.
The accused allegedly on other dates asked Zheng for cash payment to cover the contents of the house.
The total amount of money Zheng allegedly gave the accused was $44,600.67.
It was alleged Tower Insurance never received any payment because the cheques the accused issued were dishonored.
The Defence Counsel is seeking disclosures from the Prosecution.
Since it is a fresh matter, the Prosecution is seeking adjournment to allow them to prepare the disclosures and to have them served.
Private Lawyer Samuel Balea is representing the accused.
The matter will return to the court again on March 30.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
