A former police officer, Omari James, has been charged with four criminal offenses following an alleged attempt to fraudulently withdraw GY$35 million (approximately $170,000 USD) from the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) Diamond Branch. The 26-year-old laborer, residing in Farm Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, appeared before Magistrate Wanda Fortune on Monday, September 29, 2025, and was remanded to prison without bail until October 31, 2025. According to police reports, James entered the bank on September 25, 2025, presenting forged documents, including a national identification card and a driver’s license under the name Shameer Ali, along with a withdrawal slip for the substantial sum. The teller, upon reviewing the documents, noticed discrepancies in the date of birth and photograph compared to the bank’s records, leading to James’s immediate arrest. He faces charges of uttering forged documents and demanding money through fraudulent means. This incident highlights ongoing concerns about financial fraud and the misuse of forged identification in Guyana’s banking sector.
Ex-cop charged with attempting to fraudulently withdraw GY$35 million from bank
