Immigration status of Nigerian under review amid forgery charges

A Nigerian national previously charged with uttering forged immigration documents returned to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Friday, where acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty ordered that a report be provided to determine his current immigration status before further bail considerations.
Thirty-one-year-old Arinze Reginald Odunze, who was remanded to prison last month, is facing two separate charges related to alleged document fraud, one before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and the other at the Diamond Magistrates’ Court. The charges stem from his alleged attempt to use a forged Ministry of Home Affairs Work Permit/Extension of Stay letter to prolong his stay in Guyana.

Represented on this occasion by Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd, Odunze’s lawyer argued that both charges relate to the same alleged act of forgery, but the matters were split based on jurisdiction, one having occurred at the Central Immigration Office in Georgetown and the other at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, located along the East Bank of Demerara (EBD).
Todd emphasised that his client is not a flight risk, noting that Odunze has been living with co-workers at the address previously provided to the court, and that the police are in possession of his passport.
While making a renewed application for bail, he said there is no way his client can flee the jurisdiction without a passport, and that it takes hours and days to get to Nigeria.
He further contended that the nature of the offence, forgery, is bailable.
However, the prosecution opposed bail, highlighting that Odunze is not a Guyanese national and stressing that the forged letter used in the alleged offence was traced to a number that was officially issued to someone else.
The prosecution warned the court against enabling what was described as “lawlessness,” citing previous instances where attorneys vouched for non-nationals who later absconded, leaving no trace.
“This court must hold persons accountable,” the prosecutor stated. The prosecution also reiterated that Odunze remains in Guyana illegally, having overstayed his initial three-month entry, which expired on February 24, 2025.
During the hearing, the Chief Magistrate questioned the legitimacy of Odunze’s presence in Guyana, specifically asking whether he was currently legal or illegal. In response, Todd maintained that until the document is officially proven to be forged, his client is to be presumed legal.
Todd added that the original letter used by Odunze to travel was presented to the South African embassy, which reportedly has a policy of verifying visa travel with employment-related letters. He said his client was under the impression that he had received a legitimate job offer from a local security firm, which provided the necessary documentation.
“All he did was go to renew his work permit, and that’s when the issue was discovered,” Todd told the court.
In this light, Chief Magistrate McGusty has ordered a report on Odunze’s immigration status to be presented on April 14, at which time the court will determine the next step in the proceedings.