The conspiracy and immigration charges against Anjanie Boodnarine, reputed wife of Barry Dataram, were on Monday dismissed as a result of lack of evidence by Magistrate Renita Singh.
Boodnarine, 22, was accused of conspiring with person/persons to forge a Guyana passport, attempting to defeat the administration of the law and departing Guyana without presenting herself to an immigration officer.
She was charged with the offences in October 2016.
Magistrate Singh ruled that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence to convict Boodnarine, leaving the court in significant doubt as to whether the accused had directly or indirectly conspired to forge the said passport.
Additionally, the Magistrate, in handing down her decision, said that the evidence presented by the prosecution was inconsistent and contradictory, noting that the court was unclear whether the offence took place in 2015 or 2016 and as such, the matter was dismissed.
Boodnarine, along with Dataram, was arrested in 2016 by Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) ranks after a Police raid was conducted on a house at Lot 661 Fourth Avenue, Block X Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
The search led to the discovery of a large quantity of cocaine stuffed in frozen seafood. The couple were arraigned and charged with the offence. Dataram was found guilty of the offence and the charge against Boodnarine was dismissed.
Dataram had recently taken full responsibility for the possession of illegal ammunition, which was found in his home during the raid, leading to Boodnarine being acquitted of the charge. The conspiracy and immigration charges arose after Boodnarine and Dataram fled the country before sentencing on the drug and related charges would be handed down.
They were recaptured in Suriname and conspiracy and immigration charges were laid against them of which Dataram was found guilty.
The woman has pending matters before the courts and is set to face Magistrate Leron Daly on Wednesday in another case. (Guyana Times)
