Three Cuban nationals have been charged with forging immigration stamps, which were found in their passports by police.
Osmel Abascol, 38, Andy Rodriguez, 44 and Alain Rodriguez, 34 were on Tuesday read a charge which stated that on October 9, at Moleson Creek, with intent to defraud, they uttered the passports to a police constable with forged immigration stamps, which they claimed were imprinted by immigration ranks.
The trio pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Attorney Melvin Duke, who represented the trio, made a bail application, while stating that his clients entered the country legally and currently reside at a Garnett Street, Newtown, Kitty address.
He stated that his clients were given up to October 4 to remain in the country but were approached by an individual to legally extend their time. He added that he is not certain what the person told the police but his clients’ documents were later seized and they have been unable to leave the country.
Each defendant was subsequently granted $80,000 bail and the matter adjourned to October 25, when it will be called before the Chief Magistrate.
During the proceedings, there was a debate about what should be done with the defendants’ passports.
The prosecution stated that the police had no intention of holding the defendants’ passports and request that the investigating rank forward the documents to the Cuban Embassy for safekeeping until the matter comes to an end.
Magistrate Judy Latchman, however, decided to keep the passports in the custody of the court until the Cuban Ambassador or a representative of the Cuban Embassy could present themselves to the court to secure the documents.
