A Berbice electrician was yesterday placed on $200,000 bail by Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson when he appeared before her on charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and tendering a forged document.
It is alleged that between April 22, 2006 and March 3 this year at Georgetown, Devindra Matadin, with the intent to defraud, conspired with person(s) unknown to forge one Government of Guyana passport in favour of himself, purporting to show it was issued by the Central Immigration Office.
It is also alleged that on June 11, at Cheddi Jagan International Airport he tendered to an immigration officer, a Guyana passport purporting to show that it was issued to him by the Central Immigration Office knowing same to be false.
Matadin, 35, of Lot 5 Number Two Village, Berbice pleaded not guilty to the charges and was represented by attorney Mohamed Zafar.
Zafar in his application for bail said that his client has no antecedent and is innocent of the conspiracy charges since he was unaware that the passport was forged. He said that Matadin had applied for a new passport several years ago and was issued one by the passport office and has travelled out of the country with it on four occasions.
He said that his client is still under the impression that the passport is genuine and asked for reasonable bail to be granted since he plans to defend himself.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Stephen Telford said that he had no objection to bail. He said that on June 11, Matadin was at the CJIA when he presented his passport to the immigration officials. Upon examination of the document, it was noticed that the signature on his passport was different from the signature of the issuing officer at the Immigration Office.
He was then placed on $100,000 bail for each charge and the matter was transferred to Court Two for July 27.
