A Jamaican national was fined $75,000 on Friday after pleading guilty to making a false statutory declaration in an attempt to fraudulently obtain a Guyanese birth certificate under a fictitious identity, with the intent of facilitating travel to Europe.
Adrian Anthony Williamson appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where the charge was formally laid.
The court heard that on April 29, at Charlotte Street, Georgetown, Williamson knowingly signed a statutory declaration claiming to be a Guyanese national named Jamal McAndrew—a claim he knew to be false.
In his address to the court, Williamson explained that he was staying on the East Coast of Demerara and admitted he had no relatives in Guyana. He told the Magistrate he is originally from Jamaica and had travelled to Guyana as a transit point with hopes of eventually reaching Europe. He said a friend had advised him that obtaining Guyanese documentation could assist in this process.
“I know what I did was wrong,” he told the court, expressing remorse and requesting leniency. “I have no one here, and I’m willing to pay a fine, please, my worship.”
The prosecution objected to bail, citing the gravity of the offence and noting that the charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison. However, after considering his remorse and personal circumstances, Magistrate Azore opted to impose a $75,000 fine in lieu of custodial sentencing.
