A 30-year-old woman accused of providing false information to an immigration officer for the purpose of acquiring a passport was yesterday placed on bail in the sum of $100,000 when she appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
The allegation is that on February 28, 2003 at the Central Immigration and Passport Office, Shanna Benjamin of 26 Poswate Housing Scheme, New Amsterdam gave to an immigration officer false information to secure a passport for herself.
The domestic labourer pleaded not guilty to the charge of giving false information for the purpose of procuring a passport when it was read to her by the acting chief magistrate.
The attorney who represented the defendant made an application for reasonable bail on the grounds that she has no previous brushes with the law, poses no risk of flight, has a fixed address and has been fully cooperating with the police in their investigations.
He added also that his client suffers from an ailment which warrants constant medical check-ups.
Police Prosecutor Kevin London told the court that on the day in question, the defendant went to the Passport Office where she applied for a passport in the name of Natasha Richardson but presented a photograph of herself.
Sometime this year, however, London said that the real Natasha Richardson went to the Passport Office to apply for a passport and officials then discovered that something was amiss.
When given a chance to respond, Richardson who was in court told the magistrate that she and the defendant were friends and she had no idea that “she had done something like that to her.” Richardson said that all she wants is to be able to proceed with the process of acquiring a passport.
The prosecution had no objection to the bail application made by the defence attorney. The mother of one was subsequently admitted to $100,000 bail. Her matter was transferred to Court Three for December 2.
