HUGO Lewis, the man who last week pleaded guilty in attempting to defraud Barita Investments Limited of more than $1.7 million and now awaiting sentencing, has been sentenced to six years in prison in the Port Maria Circuit Court for defrauding a branch of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) of $400,000.

Lewis, 50, of Fleet Street, Kingston, was scheduled to appear in the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, but on the mention of his name the court was told that Lewis was currently in Port Antonio, Portland after being sentenced to two consecutive three-year prison terms for defrauding a branch of NCB.

Lewis was then tentatively scheduled to be sentenced on August 25 in the Half-Way-Tree Court for his part in attempting to defraud Barita Investments Limited of $1.763 million.

Lewis, the court was told, was able to facilitate the defrauding of Barita by stealing the identity of a man named in court documents as Linton Augustus Brammer.

According to court documents, earlier this year, Lewis lodged several fraudulent cheques drawn on the account of Barita Trust Investments Limited to the account of Brammer, amounting to $1,763,300.

Lewis sometime afterwards attempted to withdraw the money, and was arrested and charged.