-court hears

A man who allegedly conspired to forge a passport so that he could visit his girlfriend in St Vincent was placed on $200,000 bail yesterday when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Alain Datson, 29, of 352 Lamaha Park pleaded not guilty when the charges of uttering a forged document and conspiracy to commit a felony were read to him.

It is alleged that on June 23 at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri he uttered a Guyana passport in favour of Shamar Byron with his photograph inserted to be used as genuine, knowing same to be false.

Further, it is alleged that between September 10, 2009 and June 23, 2010, he conspired with persons unknown to forge a passport in favour of Byron by inserting his photograph to be used as genuine, knowing same to be forged.

Datson told the magistrate that he met a man on the road who offered to help him get a passport for $60,000. He further said that he had lost his passport and upon enquiry was told that it would take three months to get a new one.  The man, he said, promised to deliver the said passport in a few days.  He then asked the magistrate to be lenient with him.  When asked why he committed the forgery, he said that he wanted to visit his girlfriend who is pregnant in St. Vincent.

Police Prosecutor Inspector Stephen Telford said that Datson was an outgoing passenger when he produced the passport to an immigration officer who recognised the signature on the document as being different from that of the certifying officer.  He then asked for bail to be refused.

Datson was, however,  placed on $100,000 bail on each charge and will make his next court appearance at the Providence Magistrate’s Court on August 3.