Cuban man remanded on forgery, overstaying charges

A Cuban national was yesterday remanded to prison after he was read three charges, including forging a confirmation letter for an appointment at the Mexican Embassy.

Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus yesterday read the three charges to 52-year-old Lazaro Pereira Alanzo.

The first charge alleged that between September 28th, 2018 and December 17th, 2018, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, Alanzo forged a visa appointment letter, dated January 11th, 2019, in favour of himself, purporting to show same was issued by the Mexican Embassy. It was further alleged that the accused on December 17th, 2018, at Georgetown, with intent to defraud, uttered the visa appointment confirmation letter, dated January 11th, 2019, in favour of himself, purporting to show same was issued by the Mexican Embassy, to a clerk at the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Citizenship.

The final charge alleged that the accused between January 1st, 2019 and January 8th, 2019, at Georgetown, failed to comply with conditions subject to which a permit had been granted, that is, he overstayed after having been permitted to stay in Guyana from September 29th, 2018 to September 31st, 2018.

With the aid of an interpreter, Alanzo denied the allegations leveled against him. Police prosecutor Adduni Inniss objected to the accused being granted bail, citing the fact that he is not a Guyanese national.

Asked by the Magistrate why the court should grant him bail, the defendant stated, “Because I’m innocent. I was tricked.”Bail, however, was denied and the accused was remanded to prison. The matters are expected to be called again on January 14th.