An immigration officer attached to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) was hauled before the courts on Tuesday to answer to three counts of conspiracy to commit a felony.
Jonathan Rausch, 25, denied all three of the charges when they were read to him by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The charge alleged that on April 1, 2018, while at CJIA, Timehri East Bank Demerara, he conspired with person(s) unknown to commit a felony by forging the Border Management System (BMS) with intent to defraud the public by purporting to show that Columbia nationals Juan Carlos and Maquilon Perez entered Guyana on March 27, 2018.
Facts presented to the court alleged that on the day in question about 15:00h a Beech jet bearing registration numbers N119tc landed at the CJIA from Aruba for an emergency fuel stop and subsequently departed with Carlos and Perez without any documentation.
An investigation was launched and revealed that the names of the Columbians were not featured on the manifest nor were there any embarkment or disembarkment cards in favour of the duo as is prescribed by the law.
A thorough check of the BMS further revealed that the accused immigration rank allegedly entered and updated those names into the system to show that they had arrived in Guyana aboard another flight.
As suspicions grew the accused was contacted, questioned and subsequently told of the allegations to which he denied.
After summing up the matter the Chief Magistrate released the rank on $150,000 bail.
The matter will continue on September 17, 2018.
