Arrest warrant issued for fugitive after no show for forgery proceedings
An arrest warrant was on Wednesday issued for Benvolio Valenski, who is wanted in Canada for a series of charges, including attempted murder, and is currently charged locally with conspiracy to forge documents and uttering forged documents.
Valenski, also known as “Roy Anthony Sewnarine,” was charged alongside Ganesh Singh on September 5th.
At a hearing before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday, only Singh made a court appearance, while Valenski, for the second time, was a no show.
Police prosecutor Gordon Mansfield subsequently made an application to the court requesting an arrest warrant for Valenski.
This application was later granted by Chief Magistrate McLennan and the matter was adjourned until September 26th.
It is alleged that between February 1st and September 2nd, 2019, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, Singh and Valenski conspired to forge a Guyana driver’s licence in favour of Roy Anthony Sewnarine, purporting to show same was issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and knowing same to be false.
It is also alleged that on the same date and at the same location, the defendants conspired to forge a Guyana identification card in favour of Sewnarine, purporting to show same was issued by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
Valenski was also read two separate charges which allege that on September 2, at the Central Immigration and Passport Office, with intent to defraud, he uttered to woman police constable 21691 Towanna Crandon-Primo, an immigration officer, a forged Guyana identification card, in favour of himself, purporting to show that same was issued by GECOM.
The final charge against the accused alleges that on the very date, for the purpose of procuring a new passport, Valenski made a false statement, that is to say, he signed a written declaration that he was Roy Anthony Sewnarine, knowing same to be false.
An online search for Valenski’s name by this newspaper revealed an Interpol Red Notice. Such notices, issued for fugitives wanted either for prosecution or to serve a sentence, are requests to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action, for the accused.