A 48-YEAR-OLD Colombian appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan yesterday, charged with uttering a forged passport and illegal entry.Luis Eugenio Torrez denied that he, on May 20, at Moleson Creek, Springlands, Corentyne with intent to defraud uttered to a police officer one Cuban passport, numbered AR678850.

The court heard that the document was issued in favour of himself with false arrival and departure dates, stamps inserted to show that he was granted a Guyana tourist visa and business visa and purporting to show that same was issued by the Central Immigration and Passport Office of Guyana.

The other charge stated that on April 14, at Charity, Essequibo he entered Guyana by sea and disembarked without presenting himself to an immigration officer. Speaking through an interpreter he pleaded guilty to the charge.

He was represented by Attorney-at-law Paul Fung-A- Fat, who told the court that his client was fleeced by persons who target tourists and they took advantage of him.

According to the prosecution, on May 20, Torrez was an outgoing passenger at Moleson Creek when he presented a Colombian passport to Immigration Officer, Constable Yazier Augrim.

The officer upon checking the passport discovered that it was forged and he had entered the country illegally.

The magistrate fined the Colombian $20,000 for illegal entry. However, failure to pay the fine will result in one month’s imprisonment. Torrez was granted $50,000 bail on the forged passport charge, and the matter was adjourned for June 1.