(Antigua Sun) – Guyanese Latchman “Ricky” Bhola was convicted, fined and ordered deported from Antigua and Barbuda after he pleaded guilty to presenting forged documents to immigration officials.

Bhola appeared in the All Saints Magistrate Court before Senior Magistrate Asquith Reviere and was fined $1,000.

Magistrate Reviere imposed an alternate sentence of one month in prison if the money was not paid.

Bhola arrived in Antigua at the VC Bird International Airport aboard LIAT flight 770 from Barbados on 24 October. On arrival, he handed over his Guyanese passport to immigration officer Florencia Joseph, seeking leave to enter the country. Joseph was at the time stationed at the arrivals area. The immigration officer examined the document and while checking page 14 observed an extension stamp dated 8/8/08 to 25/7/2009. On page 12 of the passport there was a work permit stamp #60531 dated 8/8/2008 to 25/7/2009, while on page 15 there was a work permit stamp #69784 dated 10/8/09 to 25/7/2010.

Reportedly, these immigration stamps were not legitimate. The immigration officer then referred the matter to her supervisors and as a result Bhola was detained at the St John’s police station.

He gave a written statement in which he had admitted to obtaining the stamps illegally by paying $600 to a person identified only as Ronald.

He was released on 27 October, pending further investigations. Immigration officers made further checks at the department and it was revealed that the stamps were not lawfully issued.

On 30 October, the Guyanese man was again taken into custody and on the following day he was arrested and charged with uttering permits which were not issued to him by lawful authorities.