Fugitive Guyanese national Benvolio Francois Caitanya Valenski, who is wanted in Canada for a series of charges, including attempted murder, was yesterday arrested at the Guyana Revenue Authority’s Camp Street Office, where he attempted to secure a local driver’s licence, Commissioner-General Godfrey Statia has confirmed.
This newspaper learned that the 27-year-old Valenski, who is also currently charged locally with conspiracy to forge documents and uttering forged documents, was up to press time last evening still in police custody.
It is unclear how long he has been in Guyana but in September of this year an arrest warrant was issued for him in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after he had twice failed to show up to answer charges of conspiracy to forge documents and uttering forged documents, on which he had been granted bail.
Valenski, also known as “Roy Anthony Sewnarine,” was charged alongside Ganesh Singh on September 5th.
It is alleged that between February 1st and September 2nd, 2019, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, Singh and Valenski conspired to forge a Guyana driver’s licence in favour of Roy Anthony Sewnarine, purporting to show same was issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and knowing same to be false.
It is also alleged that on the same date and at the same location, the defendants conspired to forge a Guyana identification card in favour of Sewnarine, purporting to show same was issued by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
Valenski was at the time read two separate charges which allege that on September 2nd, at the Central Immigration and Passport Office, with intent to defraud, he uttered to woman police constable 21691 Towanna Crandon-Primo, an immigration officer, a forged Guyana identification card, in favour of himself, purporting to show that same was issued by GECOM.
The final charge against the accused alleges that on the very date, for the purpose of procuring a new passport, Valenski made a false statement, that is to say, he signed a written declaration that he was Roy Anthony Sewnarine, knowing same to be false.
An online search for Valenski’s name by this newspaper revealed an Interpol Red Notice. Such notices, issued for fugitives wanted either for prosecution or to serve a sentence, are requests to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action, for the accused.
Further searching revealed that Valenski is wanted in relation to several charges, namely, attempted murder, possession of a firearm, pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon, use of a firearm during the commission of an indictable offence, discharge of a firearm with intent to wound, endangering life, conspiracy to commit murder, occupying a motor vehicle with a firearm and failure to comply with a recognisance.
On its website, Canadian radio station CFNY-FM said Valenski is wanted in connection with a shootout which occurred near Walpole and Greenwood avenues in Toronto on January 4th.
Steven Karapetrov, 25, of Toronto, was arrested and charged in relation to the matters.
