Elderly man remanded for fraud, narcotics possession

Sixty-two-year-old Dennis Jones, of South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was remanded to prison following charges of forgery and drug trafficking.

Jones appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It is alleged that between September 1 and 3, 2017, with intent to defraud, he forged one Guyana National Identification (ID) Card in the name of Josiah Jones, purporting to show that it was issued by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The second charge stated that on January 18, 2017 at Robb Street, Georgetown, he was found with 10.681 kilograms of cocaine for the purposes of trafficking.

In court on Tuesday, Jones’ lawyer argued that his client had no knowledge of the first allegation and denied it. He also made submissions for reasonable bail, but the prosecution objected on the grounds that there was overwhelming evidence to prove the fraud charge, pointing out that the ID card was found in the defendant’s home and he had admitted to the Police that he had created it in September.

With regard to the narcotics charge, bail was again objected to by the prosecution. The court was told that the defendant is a repeat offender as he was convicted previously on a similar charge in 2012 and served time at the Camp Street Prison.

As such, Jones was remanded to prison. The case will continue on February 14.