- court hears

Hatty Blackman, a twenty-four-year-old woman who in her attempts to secure employment with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) allegedly uttered a forged Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) certificate to the police constable at the Recruiting Office, was granted bail when she appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson last week.

Blackman of 333 Buxton Front, East Coast Demerara pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and uttering a forged document.

She denied that between June 21 last year and March 30 this year, she, with intent to defraud, conspired with several persons to forge a CXC certificate in her name.

She also denied that on March 30, with intent to defraud, she uttered to the said certificate to Police Constable Coleen John knowing it to be false.

Patrice Henry, Blackman’s lawyer, applied for reasonable bail for her on the grounds that his client had an unblemished record. He said his client had fully cooperated with the police and she posed no risk of flight. Prosecutor Munilall Seetaram made no objection to the bail application.

He said Blackman had gone to the Police Recruiting Office where she presented the forged certificate to Constable John. He said she was seeking employment with the GPF.

He went on to say that the certificate was sent to the Ministry of Education where it was discovered to be forged. The certificate was said to contain several subjects that Blackman alleged she had written securing “excellent grades”.

The magistrate subsequently placed Blackman on bail in the sum of $190,000 and ordered that the case be transferred to Court Five for July 29.