A husband and wife, both Indian nationals found themselves before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after they were taken off of a Fly Jamaica Airlines flight with fake Canadian visas.
Pakaj Kumar Patel, 24, and his wife, Roshini Benn Patel, 32, both business owners originally denied that on February 22, 2018 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, with intent to defraud, they uttered to Lorisa Lewis Primo, a customer service representative, two forged Canadian Visas inserted in their Republic of India passports, in favour of themselves showing that same was issued by the Government of Canada.
Attorney for the defendants, Adrian Thompson said his clients had no intentions of using forged documents.
However, following consultations from Magistrate Judy Latchman, the charge was re-read to the accused who plead guilty.
According to Police Prosecutor, Arvin Moore, the defendants were staying with a family member in Guyana at Alberttown, Georgetown.
After spending a month in Guyana, they attempted to leave for Canada but were subsequently taken off of the flight which they had already boarded.
They were told that the visas being used were forged and as such were taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) where they were told of the offence against them and charged.
Both Patel’s were fined $100,000, which the Magistrate ordered to be paid today, February 26, 2018.
Failure to do so would see both of them being jailed for 12 months.
