Cuban engineer convicted for forging work-permit

Last Updated on Tuesday, 7 October 2014, 21:40 by GxMedia

A Cuban engineer, who presented a Cuban passport with a fake work permit to immigration officers at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) was fined GUY$10,000.

He is 29-year old Johnny Maraso who pleaded guilty to the offences when the charges of uttering a forged document and conspiracy to commit a felony were read to him by Chief Magistrate, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

Police said that on October 3 at the CJIA, with intent to defraud he uttered to a police officer one Cuban passport H125967 in favour of himself with one false Guyana employment visa purporting to show that same was issued to him, knowing same to be false.

He was also accused of conspiring with a person or persons unknown to forge one Guyana work-

permit, purporting to show that it was issued to him by the Guyana government between August 1 and August 29, 2014.

Defence Lawyer, Paul Fung-a-Fat told the court that Maraso’s only interest was to work in Guyana and support him family- a wife and two children.

The lawyer begged the court to fine Maraso because he earns a meager salary, was already detained for six days and he does not speak English.