Enmore resident Guy Matheson is facing a charge of possession of counterfeit currency after he was found with false $5,000 notes that he claimed he picked up on a road.
The charge read yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court stated that Matheson, of Lot 59 Enmore, East Coast Demerara, on December 16, at Georgetown had four $5,000 notes in his possession without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, knowing same to be counterfeit.
After pleading guilty to the charge, Matheson, when given a chance to speak, said that he was walking down the road when he found an envelope which contained the $5,000 bills and $200.
He added that he spent the $200 and became confused since he had never seen the green $5,000 notes. As a result, he went to a shop in his village to find out what kind of notes they were and he was told that they were new currency notes.
Matheson said that he was later arrested for the notes, which confused him since he expected to be arrested for a cell phone he had stolen instead. “Yo honour, I didn’t spend the money and was not going to. Later on, them tell meh I shouldda take the money to the police station but I did not know that then,” Matheson said.
His plea was subsequently changed to not guilty by Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
Prosecutor Bharat Mangru objected to bail being granted. He added that it is also likely that additional charges may surface and subsequently informed the court that Matheson may also be charged with stealing a BlackBerry cell phone.
Bail was granted in the sum of $75,000 and the matter will return to Court on February 7.
