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Haitian teacher jailed for fake Guyanese visa
A 33-year-old Haitian national found out that Guyana does not take lightly to the possession of false documents.
The Haitian man, Carlos Pattingmore, who is said to be a Mathematics and Physics teacher in his home country, with the assistance of a translator, pleaded not guilty.
It was alleged that on September 7, last, the defendant attempted to travel to Suriname via Guyana using a false Guyanese visa. The man was detained at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport when immigration officers noticed that the man had a Guyana visa which was issued in his country although Guyana visas are only issued in Guyana.
The lawyer representing Pattingmore, told the court that the man had no intention of staying in Guyana and the matter was a simple case of the defendant being deceived. Pattingmore’s legal representative continued that the man was told by a family friend that he could obtain the visa in his country which he did acquire. The lawyer paused to highlight to the court that the man had been to an office, a seemingly legal establishment in his country to uplift the visa.
The defendant was heading to Suriname to unite with his family, the lawyer told the court and chose to travel through Guyana since the route would be easier. The man was never aware that the papers were false, claimed the legal advisor, and thus pleaded with the court to grant the man bail.
He also told the court that he (the lawyer) would accompany the man to the Ministry of Home Affairs to assist the man to regularize his stay. The lawyer reiterated to the court that the man was completely unaware of the fraudulent nature of the matter and stated that the man would be residing at Lot 84 East Ruimveldt at the home of Shownda Pool who would be responsible for the defendant.
The prosecutor rebutted the lawyer’s claims for bail, telling the court that the man had no ties to Guyana and no address, so it would not be farfetched to think that the man would skip the country if bail was granted.
Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry in turn told the court she was not convinced by the lawyers plea and adjourned the case to today. She did not grant bail.
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