Passport fraud accused gets $100,000 bail

Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry on Friday granted a man $100,000 bail when he appeared in court to answer to charges that he had attempted to commit passport fraud and he had submitted false information to the Central Immigration Office.

The Georgetown Magistrate’s Court heard that on June 4, 2008, at the Central Immigra-tion Office, Sherwinton Lovell had allegedly claimed that he had never applied for a passport when he had in fact been the holder of the said document. Lovell is also accused of falsely stating his name as Travis Paul on June 10, 2011 at the Central Immigration Office for the purpose of obtaining a new passport. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.

His attorney, Melvin Duke told the court that Lovell is the father of five and had no antecedents. He also said that the man had come to court of his own free will and asked that he be granted bail.

Police Prosecutor Sergeant Lionel Harvey did not object to bail but noted that both charges are of a similar nature. He then asked the court to grant bail in a substantial sum.

Lovell was placed on $50,000 bail on each charge.