CHIEF MAGISTRATE Ann McLennan on Tuesday sentenced two Cubans to nine months’ imprisonment for forging Canadian Resident Cards.

Tahimi Batista, 25, and Jose Rodriguez, 29, were separately charged for uttering the cards purporting to be issued by the Government of Canada, to Stacy Morriah, a Customer Representative of Caribbean Airlines, on January 20 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

With the aid of an interpreter the duo each pleaded guilty.
According to the facts, the two people arrived in Guyana legally on January 17 via CJIA and three days later, on January 20, they tried to travel to Canada with the fake resident cards.

Batista told the court that her boyfriend applied for the resident cards over the internet and paid US$2,000

The Chief Magistrate imposed a nine-month sentence each on Batista and Rodriguez, and ordered that they be deported after completing their sentences.