AN immigration officer on Tuesday appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit a felony.

It is alleged that on April 1st, 2018 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Timehri, East Bank Demerara, Jonathan Rausch conspired with a person or persons unknown to commit a felony; that is to say he forged the Border Management System (BMS) with intent to defraud the public, purporting to show that Juan, Carlos and Perez along with two others entered Guyana on March 27, 2018, knowing same to be forged.
The 24-year-old man who resides at Garnett Street,Newtown, Kitty, denied the charges that were read to him by the chief magistrate. He was represented by Attorney Adrian Thompson, who made application for reasonable bail. Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield had no objection to bail, but asked that conditions be attached.

According to the facts of the case, on the day in question around 15:00hrs, a Beech jet bearing registration numbers N119tc landed at the CJIA from Aruba for an emergency fuel stop and subsequently departed with Carlos and Perez without any documentation.

An investigation was launched and the names of the persons mentioned in the charge appeared on the Border Management System (BMS) as arriving passengers aboard flight COPAL which had arrived at the CJIA on March 27, 2018. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the names were not featured on the manifest or any embarkation card in favour of the persons. Checks of the BMS further revealed that the accused, who was an immigration rank on duty at the time, entered the names into the BMS to show that the persons had arrived in Guyana on March 27, 2018.

The accused was contacted, questioned and subsequently told of the allegations and cautioned. The accused was placed on $150,000 bail on condition that he lodge his passport and report to the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters every Friday. The matter was adjourned to September 17, 2018.