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Guyanese wanted for attempted murder in Canada nabbed by GRA while trying to obtain driver’s licence
– Slipped under police radar three months ago
He had slipped through the Guyana Police Force’s radar just three months ago.
Benvolio Valenski (R) and Ganesh Singh (L) in court last September
But yesterday, alert officials at the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) nabbed Benvolio Francois Caitanya Valenski, a Canada-based Guyanese, who is on INTERPOL’S wanted list for attempted murder and several other crimes.
It all went down when Valenski, 27, turned up at the GRA offices yesterday to obtain a driver’s licence.
But when staffers punched Valenski’s name into their computers, they immediately learned who he really was, from data they have from INTERPOL.
“The guy came for a driver’s licence using a Canadian licence,” GRA’s Commissioner General Godfrey Statia told Kaieteur News.
“We have all the information from INTERPOL, so we nabbed him. Now we are computerising everything, and all of these things are online.”
Valenski was subsequently handed over to the police. He is likely to be extradited.
Kaieteur News had reported in October that Benvolio Francois Caitanya Valenski was among six Guyanese on INTERPOL’S wanted list.
According to online data, Valenski is wanted by Canadian authorities for attempted murder; unauthorised possession of a firearm, pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon, use of a firearm during commission of an indictable offence, discharging a firearm with intent to wound and endanger a life, conspiracy to commit murder, and occupying a motor vehicle with a firearm.
It was just last September that the fugitive had slipped under the very noses of the police.
Back then, Valenski and a Herstelling, East Bank Demerara resident, Ganesh Singh, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on fraud related charges.
The charges included forging identification documents and presenting forged documents.
Valenski was also identified as ‘Roy Anthony Sewnarine.’ His address was given as Better Hope, East Coast Demerara.
It was alleged that between February 1, 2019 and September 2, 2019, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, Singh conspired with Valenski, to forge one Republic of Guyana driver’s licence in favour of Roy Anthony, purporting to show that same was issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority.
Secondly, it was alleged that between February 1, 2019 and September 2, 2019, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, Singh conspired with Valenski to forge one Guyana National Identification Card in favour of Roy Anthony Sewnarine, purporting to show that it was issued by the Guyana Elections Commission.
Also, it was alleged that on September 2, 2019, at Central Immigration and Passport Office, Camp Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, Valenski uttered to a police constable, who is an Immigration Officer, one forged Guyana National Identification card #101263701 in favour of himself, and purporting to show that it was issued by the Guyana Elections Commission, knowing same to be forged.
Finally, it was alleged that on September 2, 2019, at Central Immigration and Passport Office, Georgetown, for the purpose of procuring a new passport, Valenski signed a written declaration, that he was Roy Anthony, knowing it to be false.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, which were read to them by Senior Magistrate, Clive Nurse, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
It was said that the accused knew each other. Valenski was said to reside in the United States of America and returned to Guyana last January.
He allegedly later made contact with his co-accused, informing him that he is in need of a birth certificate, identification card and a driver’s licence.
The two then allegedly made arrangements for Valenski to pay Singh a large sum of cash to provide the documents.
On September 2, 2019, Valenski went to the Central Immigration Office where he reportedly used the forged documents to apply for a passport. The documents were examined and found to be forged. He was arrested.
The two accused were each placed on $300,000, under the condition that they lodge their passports with the court and report every Friday to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters.
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