Suspected bogus gold declaration for duty free concession lands miner in court

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 20:59 by GxMedia

A miner, who allegedly presented a forged document to the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment to obtain a duty free concession, was Wednesday granted his pre-trial liberty.

Thirty-one year old Leroy Vanderhyden of Broad Street, Charlestown is accused of – with intent to defraud-forging one gold declaration statement in his name purporting to show that the document was issued to him by Mohamed Enterprise.

He is also charged with uttered the forged document to an official at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, knowing same to be false.

Vanderhyen was granted GUY$100,000 bail on each charge. He was also ordered to report to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters  every Friday.

He has to return to court on March 21.

Both offences were allegedly committed on April 13, 2013 with the aim of obtaining a duty-free concession to purchase an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV).

Police Prosecutor Michael Grant told the court that Vanderhyden presented the declaration on grounds that it was authentic. However, an investigation revealed that the document was forged and Mohamed’s Enterprise said he provided no declaration that the man had sold gold to that entity.

He is represented by Attorney-at-Law, Jonas Coddette.