Man remanded over passport application fraud

Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton yesterday remanded a man accused of making a false statement to secure a passport.

The allegation against Shirvinton Lovell is that on June 10, at the Central Immigration and Passport Office, for the purpose of procuring a passport, he stated on a passport application from that his name was Travis Paul, knowing this to be false.  Lovell, 41, who resides at 333 Robert Drive Republic Park, East Bank Demerara, was not required to plead to the indictable charge of making a false statement for the purpose of procuring a passport when it was read to him at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. No facts of what transpired on the day in question were presented to the court.

Attorney Peter Hugh made an application for Lovell to be admitted to bail, while the prosecution objected, saying the accused was a flight risk. According to Police Sergeant Lionel Harvey, additional charges are likely to be laid against Lovell by next week, as investigations are ongoing regarding other persons allegedly involved in the matter. If granted bail, Harvey contended, the accused may not return to court to stand trial and it may be difficult to locate him, since he works in Guyana’s interior.

Lovell, a father of seven, was subsequently remanded to prison and the case was fixed for October 27 at Court One.