A CONMAN from Trinidad was sentenced to two years imprisonment by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Tuesday after he confessed to two fraud related charges.

Daniel Ali, 41 a Trinidad national, living at Ogle, East Coast Demerara for the past two years, did not have legal representation during his appearance at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Particulars of the first charge alleged that between January 3, 2017 and May 19, 2017 in Georgetown, he conspired with persons to forge one Republic of Guyana driver’s license in the name of Seelall Madiha, purporting to show that the document was issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority, knowing same to be false.

The second charge alleged that on March 23, 2017 at the Central Immigration and Passport Office, for the purpose of procuring a new passport, Ali made a false statement by affixing his signature to a declaration, saying he is Seelall Madiha, knowing same to be false.

Ali was sentenced to two years jail on each charge, by the Chief Magistrate which will run consecutively. He was also charged with overstaying in Guyana and was fined $30,000 following his guilty plea. The court heard that between June 23, 2014 and May 20, 2017, he failed to comply with the regulations which stated that he was only allowed to stay in Guyana from December 24, 2013 to June 23, 2014 but he overstayed.

“I just lost track of time,” the unrepresented man told the court when the Chief Magistrate questioned him why he had overstayed. Police Prosecutor, Arwin Moore told the court that the accused is wanted for fraud and larceny related offences in Trinidad.

According to Moore, on December 24, 2013 Ali arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and was granted to stay in Guyana until June 23, 2014.

However on March 15, 2017 the accused went to the Central Immigration and Passport Office to make an application for a Guyanese Passport under the pretense that he had lost his and had to be issued a new one.

The defendant reportedly produced documents in the name of ‘Seelall Madiha,’ however immigration officers checked the documents in their system and discovered that the defendant’s correct name is Daniel Ali. He was arrested and the documents were seized including a driver’s licence which was forged.

Ali had told investigators that he had paid an individual known as ‘Ryan’ $200,000 for the driver’s licence.