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Barry Dataram, reputed wife to face trial for illegal ammo
CONVICTED: Barry Dataram REMANDED: Anjanie Boodnarine
Convicted drug trafficker Barry Dataram, who is currently serving a seven-year jail sentence for cocaine possession among other offences, and his reputed wife Anjanie Boodnarine, are set to face trial for illegal ammunition possession on November 25.
The couple was charged earlier this year for having 180 rounds of .223 ammunition in their possession on April 16, at Lot 661 Fourth Avenue, Block ‘X’ Diamond, East Bank Demerara, when they were not holders of firearm licences.
Dataram, 38, formerly of Patentia Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara, and Boodnarine, 21, of 79 Patentia Housing Scheme, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
However, a trial in this matter never commenced.
Kaieteur News was told that this matter was stood down to facilitate a trial in the drug trafficking case, for which Dataram, his reputed wife and two friends were jointly charged.
But at the conclusion of the trial Dataram was found guilty and sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. The others were freed.
Yesterday, Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford announced that she was ready to commence a trial in the ammunition matter and stated that she intends to call five witnesses.
Magistrate Judy Latchman then fixed a trial date.
Attorney Cleavaughn Humphrey is representing Boodnarine.
According to reports, the illegal ammunition was discovered in a house located at the address mentioned in the charge during a search conducted by CANU ranks. It was during that same search that some of the cocaine was unearthed stuffed in frozen fish, while the remainder was found to be bricks of coke.
Dataram, a Guyana-born American, had successfully fought off efforts to extradite him to the United States of America to face drug smuggling charges.
Last month, he and his wife were charged with attempting to defeat the administration of justice; forging Republic of Guyana Passports and departing Guyana without presenting themselves to immigration officers.
Dataram pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to a total of 2 years and 24 months’ jail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. Boodnarine denied the allegations but is currently on remand after the Chief Magistrate refused to grant her bail, ruling that the court is of the opinion she is a flight risk.
It was reported that Boodnarine and Dataram fled to Suriname via the backtrack route while the drug trafficking trial was ongoing before Magistrate Judy Latchman.
They were apprehended by Surinamese authorities and handed over to police in Guyana. Investigations were launched and it was discovered that there were no records of Dataram and Boodnarine leaving Guyana at the Passport Office.
Dataram forged the passport by inserting a photograph of himself on the bio-data page with the name David Persaud; while Boodnarine is alleged to have forged the passport by inserting a photograph of herself on the bio-data page with the name Anjanie Persaud.
Investigations later revealed that both passports were stolen during a robbery.
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