Man denies making false declaration to get new passport

A man who allegedly tried to procure a new passport by making a false declaration was granted $100,000 bail when he appeared yesterday before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson charged with the offence.

It is alleged that on November 28, 2005 at Immigration Office, Georgetown, Lallchan Persaud knowingly made a false declaration for the purpose of acquiring a new passport, knowing same to be false.  He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Persaud, 32, of 6 L’Esperance, West Coast Demerara was represented by attorney Satyesh Kissoon. The attorney told the court that his client had no antecedent and made an application for reasonable bail to be granted.

Police Prosecutor Inspector Stephen Telford said that Persaud was the holder of a Guyana passport and went to the United States in 1999. However he was deported in 2005. Telford added that Persaud subsequently applied for a new passport, which was issued in the name of Paul David Singh. He then travelled to Trinidad using the new passport but he overstayed his time there and was deported to Guyana once again.

Persaud made another application for a new passport in his name. During investigations by the immigration officials it was discovered that he was deported and had used the name Paul David Singh in one of his applications.

Telford said that the same immigration official who received Persaud when he was deported was the same official to whom he allegedly gave his passport application.

He was then granted bail and the matter was put down for June 18 in Court 10.