A woman and a 15-year-old girl who were allegedly apprehended after uttering two forged US visas to a police constable at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri were yesterday placed on $340,000 bail by Principal Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle.

Coomalee Inshan, 45, and the girl pleaded not guilty to two separate charges each of uttering forged documents and conspiracy to defraud when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

It is alleged that between September 24 and 26 Inshan and the girl conspired with persons unknown to commit a felony, that is the material insertion of a forged US visa in Republic of Guyana passports in favour of themselves. On October 20 at the airport Inshan and her daughter with intent to defraud uttered to Quincy Cummings, a police constable, a forged US visa in a Republic of Guyana passport in favour of each other purporting to show that it was issued by the American Embassy.

Police prosecutor Sherwin Matthews said they were outgoing passengers on Travel Span airlines when they presented documents to the immigration counter and it was discovered that the US visas fitted in the passports were forged.

Attorney-at-law Anil Nandlall who represented the two told the court that his client’s husband lives in the US and their desire to be with him overwhelmed their judgment. The attorney stated that his clients were victims of a scheme that is prevalent in this country. His clients had first pleaded guilty and he had asked the magistrate to impose the fine which he said was $80,000.

However the magistrate told him that there was no part of the act which stipulated a fine and the penalty was three years imprisonment. Nandlall then responded that it was amended but he was unable to tell the magistrate when. His clients then opted to change their pleas to not guilty.

The case was transferred to Court Six for November 5.