A woman was yesterday read three forgery charges after police alleged that she inflated the amount granted in a cheque issued by the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Joanna Beckles, of 1116 Bluesackie Drive, South Ruimveldt, was arraigned before Magistrate Faith McGusty in Georgetown.
It was alleged that Beckles, on December 19, 2016, forged a Bank of Guyana cheque in favour of herself, purporting to show same was written for the sum of $60,000, instead of $6,000 by the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The second charge stated that on December 21, 2016, at Georgetown, Beckles uttered to Shanika Smith, a teller at the Republic Bank, a forged Guyana cheque number 08-137149, dated December 19, 2016 and valued at $60,000, knowing same to be false.
It was further alleged that on December 21, 2016, Beckles obtained $60,000 from Smith upon or by forged cheque.
Beckles denied all the charges.
Attorney Euclin Gomes, who represented the woman, requested that his client be granted reasonable bail since she posed no flight risk. Although the magistrate set bail at $50,000, while noting that the charges stem from the same alleged act of forgery, she also ordered that Beckles lodge her passport, since she is a frequent traveler. The case was then adjourned to August 7, when it will be heard by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
