SEETA Persaud, a 36-year-old housewife of Belvedere, Corentyne Berbice, appeared yesterday before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry charged with six counts of forging and uttering birth certificates for herself, husband and children.The first allegation is that on June 23, at the Central Immigration Passport Office in Georgetown, with intent to defraud, she uttered to Immigration Officer, Orin Harris five forged birth certificates in favour of herself, husband and three children, purporting to show that same was genuine and issued by the Registrar General’s Office.

The remaining five charges allege that between June 19 and 23, at Belvedere, Corentyne, Berbice, with intent to defraud, she forged five birth certificates in favour of herself, husband and three children, purporting to show that same was genuine and issued by the Registrar General’s Office.

The unrepresented woman continuously explained that she realised what she did was wrong, and apologised for her mistakes.
When the Chief Magistrate asked why she had forged the documents, Persaud responded that she did not know what she was doing at the time.

She was fined $150,000, but the fine carries an alternative of six months’ imprisonment, and Seeta Persaud was given one month’s grace period to pay the fine.