Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton granted $55,000 bail to a father of two accused of uttering a forged passport to an immigration officer, when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Dhanpaul Ramdin, 41, of 1 Middle Walk, Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, on September 3, at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, allegedly, with intent to defraud uttered to Linden La Rose, an immigration officer; one passport number 1098510 in favour of Avantez Doynel Adamson, knowing same to be forged. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge.
His attorney, Vic Puran, told the court that the passport in question which his client was in possession of was not a forged document. He said Ramdin had used it to enter Guyana. “In fact, it was issued by the Guyana consulate in the United States,” Puran said, adding that he did not wish to divulge the details of the case until trial.
In his bail application, he told the court that his client will return to court to vindicate himself of the charges. Puran then asked the court to grant his client reasonable bail on the grounds that he has no previous convictions, poses no flight risk, has a fixed place of abode and has been fully cooperating with police investigations.
Prosecutor Lionel Harvey did not object to bail but he requested that it be granted in a substantial sum to ensure that the defendant returns to stand trial.
The magistrate ordered Ramdin to court on November 10 for statements and a determination on the application of the Administra-tion of Justice Act.
