A businessman who allegedly conspired to commit a felony by forging three immigration entry stamps was placed on $150,000 bail by Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton yesterday.
Harridyal Chandradatt, 50, of 16 Grant 1802, Crabwood Creek, Berbice was not required to plead when the charges were read to him in Court One. It is alleged that between March 8 and 9, 2008 at Timehri with intent to defraud, he conspired with other(s) unknown to forge an immigration entry stamp in Guyana Passport numbered 080298 purporting to show that it was issued by the Immigration Office knowing same to be false. He was also charged with conspiring to commit the same act between March 8 and 9 by inserting the stamps in passports numbered 0802829 and 0802926.
He was represented by attorney Hukumchand who made an application for reasonable bail to be granted. He told the court that his client is a permanent resident of the United States who came into the country on March 8 and passed through immigration without any problems. However on March 19, 2010 when he was an outgoing passenger to the US, an immigration officer discovered that the entry stamp was incorrect. The attorney added that his client was not a flight risk and posed no threat to the witnesses.
Police Prosecutor Stephen Telford did not object to the granting of bail. Chandradatt was then granted bail and the matter put down for September 29 for report.
