A 29-YEAR-OLD engineer of Lot 20 Dennis Street, Georgetown, was yesterday fined $100,000 by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on charges of uttering a forged document and conspiracy to commit a felony. 

Johnny Maraso pleaded guilty to both charges, one of which said that on October 3, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, with intent to defraud, he uttered to a police officer one Cuban passport, numbered H125967, in favour of himself, with one false Guyana employment visa purporting to show that same was issued to him, knowing same to be false.
The other charge said that between August 1 and 29, at Georgetown, he conspired with person or persons unknown to forge one Guyana employment visa, purporting to show that same was issued to him by the Government of Guyana.
He was represented by attorney-at-law Mr. Paul Fung-a-Fat. He told the court that his client’s only objective is to work in Guyana and assist his family.
Defence counsel asked the court to take into consideration that his client is married with two children and his salary scale is low.
Counsel requested that his client be fined instead of having a custodial penalty imposed, since he had already spent six days in prison and does not speak English. He said that his client is willing to apply through the right channels.