– on charges of conspiracy, uttering  forged passport to immigration at CJIA
A COLOMBIAN national was yesterday remanded to prison after he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, to answer charges of conspiracy and uttering a forged document to an immigration officer. Particulars of the charges stated that, on April 7, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at Timehri, with intent to defraud, he uttered to an immigration officer a Colombian passport with a forged Republic of Guyana extension of ‘stay stamp’ and a work permit, dated August 25, 2010, purporting to show that same was issued by the Central Immigration & Passport Office in Georgetown, knowing same to be false.
Also,  between August 25, 2010 and April 7, 2011, with intent to defraud, he conspired together with persons unknown, to place a false Republic of Guyana ‘extension of stay stamp’ in his passport to show that same was issued on August 25, 2010, by the Central Immigration & Passport Office.
The defendant, through an interpreter, pleaded not guilty and explained that he came to Guyana to transact business with a friend to open a supermarket here.
Police Corporal Venetta Pindar, prosecuting, objected to bail on the grounds that the defendant has no ties to Guyana and, if bail is granted, he is likely not to return for trial.
The prosecutor said the defendant came to Guyana before on May 8, 2010, and was granted an extension to stay in the country for two months. She said before the defendant departed Guyana, he met a friend who told him that he could get another ‘extension of stay’ stamp in his passport.
Attorney-at-law Ms. Tanya Warren, on behalf of Mr. Vic Puran, represented the defendant and requested bail on special circumstance that the defendant had no idea his friend obtained the extension of stay stamp illegally.
However, the bail application was denied and the defendant will make a court appearance at Providence court, East Bank Demerara,to where the matter was transferred.