Passport fraud accused put on $100,000 bail

A man who allegedly intended to commit passport fraud was yesterday placed on $100,000 bail when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Jaigobin Madhoo  is accused of tendering a forged passport at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri with  intent to defraud, purporting that the document was genuine but knowing it to be false.

Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos representing Madhoo who pleaded not guilty to the charge said that his 26- year-old client who hails from the Corentyne originally had a valid Guyana passport. He said that he found somebody to renew his passport and that is the same passport which he surrendered and it was discovered to be forged.

De Santos made an  application for his client to be granted bail and for an adjournment of at least three weeks to enable him to do proper investigations.

Police Sergeant Lionel Harvey, prosecuting, did not object to bail but asked for conditions to be applied.

The facts of the case were as stated in the charge and Madhoo was asked to report to Corporal Conway at the Springlands Police Station fortnightly.

His next court appearance is May 21 at Providence Magistrate’s Court.