Charged with conspiring to insert forged Guyana immigration stamps on an Antigua and Barbuda passport in an effort to visit his ill sister in Canada, a Berbician man was yesterday placed on $200,000 bail after appearing before the Chief Magistrate.
Thirty-seven-year-old Emran Mohabir of Lot 36 Canefield, East Canje, Berbice, pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him in Court 1 of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. It is alleged that between January 4 and 10, he conspired with person(s) unknown to insert four forged Guyana stamps in an Antigua and Barbuda passport number B010000.
Prosecutor Michael Grant told the court that Mohabir has close family ties in Canada. Sometime in the month of December, 2013, he made arrangements with his family for him to go to Canada. Grant continued that on January 11, Mohabir left Guyana with his passport and went to Trinidad where he stayed for three days.
On January 14, he boarded an in-transit flight from Trinidad using an Antigua and Barbuda passport in the name of Vikia Ramdass. The passport, however, contained a photograph of Mohabir. The in-transit flight was coming to Guyana before heading to Canada.
Grant stated that when the flight stopped in Guyana, Mohabir remained on the plane. However, an airline security officer, on checking the names of the passengers on the list available, realized that Mohabir was not on it. He was arrested and the Antigua and Barbuda passport with false Guyana immigration stamps was found in his possession.
When given an opportunity to explain himself, Mohabir stated that his sister had made arrangements for him to pick up a package from a man in Trinidad’s airport. Despite the man being unknown to him, Mohabir said he nevertheless took the package with the passport in it. However, he stated that he did not know the stamps had been forged until he was in Guyana and was told of the offence. He also added that he had only been desperate to visit his ill sister in Canada.
After considering his explanation, Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry recorded his plea as not guilty.
Claiming that the defendant is a possible flight risk, having already had a forged passport in his possession, Prosecutor Grant objected to bail. Grant also stated the nature of the offence as another reason for his refusal of bail.
However, Paul Fung-a-Fat, Mohabir’s attorney, rebutted that his client had initially pleaded guilty to his crime, an indication that he had no intention of escaping. Fung-a-Fat added that his client no longer possessed any travel documents.
Mohabir was therefore granted $200,000 bail on the condition that he reports to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters every Friday. He is set to return to court on February 17 for statements and fixtures.
