A man is now facing seven counts of obtaining money by false pretence, among other charges, after he allegedly acquired $6 million worth of food from a restaurant in a week, using forged Carib Cement lunch vouchers.

Eric Douglas appeared before Senior Resident Magistrate Glen Brown on Wednesday in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court. In addition to obtaining money by false pretence, he is also charged with forgery and two counts of uttering.

It is alleged that Douglas became friends with an employee of Carib Cement. The employee was entitled to five lunch vouchers each week, which was to be used to purchase meals at a restaurant called Chester's.

ALTERED VOUCHERS

The employee, believing that Douglas was in need, allegedly gave him his vouchers to purchase meals each week.

However Douglas allegedly altered the vouchers and in one week purchased food valued at $6 million, which he then resold.

Restaurant audit

The fraud was discovered while the restaurant was doing an audit of its accounts and, following investigations, Douglas was arrested and charged.

His attorney, Delano Franklyn, said the allegations against his client were baffling, as he could not see how he could have altered the food vouchers to purchase so much food without anyone realising.

In applying for bail, Franklyn said his client enjoyed permanent employment for the past six years, and is married and had a place of abode.

In addition, he said his client was diabetic, hypertensive, had high cholesterol and a heart problem, which required him to take various medications.

His bail application was granted as the crown indicated it had no objections. RM Brown granted him $500,000 bail with surety and a mention date of January 14 was set for the matter.