A Chinese man and his wife, said to be local restaurateurs, were yesterday fined $75,000 for forging their passports and work permits.
Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry imposed the sentences on Yun Xan Shen, 56, and Xin Hing Chow, 52, both of Lot 4 Canefield Canje, West Coast Berbice, who pleaded guilty to immigration offences for which they were arraigned at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The Chief Magistrate heard that Yun Xan Shen, on December 10, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, knowingly tendered a People’s Republic of China Passport, number 142131674, in favour of himself with a false Guyana work permit stamp on page 15, purportedly issued by the immigration authority of Guyana.
The prosecution also stated that Shen conspired with others and forged a Guyanese work permit in his Chinese passport, knowing the same to be forged.
Shen pleaded guilty to the offences.
Chow, the court heard, on the same day at the airport tendered a People’s Republic of China Passport, number G00593826, in favour of herself with a false Guyana work permit stamp on page 17. It was further stated that on the same day, conspiring with others, she forged a Guyanese work permit, knowing the same to be forged.
Chow also pleaded guilty to the offences.
Representing both nationals, attorney Paul Fung-a-Fat related to the court that his clients were husband and wife and have lived in Guyana for over 16 years and are owners of the Budding Restaurant.
Fung-a-Fat further noted that the couple hired a person to have the work permits done, but it was not performed and they took the blame.
Due to what he said was their unblemished characters, he pleaded with the magistrate to grant a monetary penalty.
The magistrate then fined the duo $75,000 each with an alternative of six months imprisonment.
