Dataram jailed for fake passports, other offences

– reputed wife remanded

By Kizzy Coleman

With a look of defeat on his face, convicted drug lord Barry Dataram walked into the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts shackled, with his reputed wife, Anjanie Boodnarine, ahead of him, to both face charges of forgery, evasion of penalty and illegal departure.

Dataram, who was on the run after he was jailed in absentia for five years for cocaine trafficking ,was on Tuesday sentenced to a further four years in prison, while his reputed wife has been remanded to prison when they appeared before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

McLennan read three charges to Dataram, 38, of Lot 36 Patentia, Wales, West Bank Demerara.

The first charge stated that between April 15, 2013 and October 15, 2013 at Camp Street, with intent to defraud, he conspired with others to forge one Republic of Guyana passport in favour of himself reporting that same was issued by the Central Immigration and Passport Office.

Addressing the charge, Dataram told Magistrate McLennan that he took “full responsibility.”

He explained that Boodnarine had no knowledge of how to acquire such (passports), stressing that he was solely responsible for the offence.

The second charge stated that between September 20, 2016 and October 15, 2016, Dataram, having been charged with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and having knowledge of the penalty attached to the crime, attempted to evade the penalty. The third charge read that on September 20 at Springlands, Berbice, Dataram departed Guyana without the consent of an immigration officer.

The prosecution disclosed that on September 20, Dataram departed Guyana via the back track route and went to Suriname where he was subsequently arrested by Surinamese law enforcement.

He was then extradited to Guyana where investigations were carried out by the Central Immigration Office, and it was found that he illegally left Guyana, as there was no record of his departure. The passport that he was found with was reportedly fake with name David Persaud. An investigation has been launched by the Ministry of Citizenship into that incident.

Boodnarine, 21, Dataram’s reputed wife, of Lot 79 Patentia, Wales, West Bank Demerara, was slapped with two charges.

The first charge read that between April 15, 2013 and January 15, 2016 at Camp Street, with intent to defraud, she conspired with others to forge one Republic of Guyana passport in favour of herself reporting that same was issued by the Central Immigration and Passport Office.

She was also charged with departing Guyana without the consent of an immigration officer.

Boodnarine pleaded not guilty to the offences and her Attorney, Clevaund Humphrey made an unsuccessful bail application.

As such, she was remanded to prison until October 31, as the prosecution pointed out that she was a flight risk.

Meanwhile, Dataram pleaded guilty to all of the charges.

He explained to Magistrate McLennan that the reason for him leaving the country was because he felt like he was not receiving a fair trial.

Dataram explained that his Attorney and the Magistrate that the matter was being tried before had personal issues and, as such, he was not receiving a fair trial.

“My Attorney and the Magistrate had some personal difference and because I felt like I was not receiving a fair trial before her,” Dataram related to the court.

He was jailed for 12 months each for fraud and evasion and two years for illegally leaving Guyana.

The sentences are to run consecutively.