A Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) man was remanded to prison on Friday.
Prosecutors allege that he falsely presented himself as the father of two children who drowned in the MV Barima disaster.
Jermaine English, 50, of Tuschen New Housing Scheme, appeared before Magistrate Orinthia Schmidt at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
English was not called upon to plead to the charge and was subsequently remanded to prison.
The prosecution’s case is that English went to a government ministry on August 17 and 18 and made representations that two of his children had lost their lives in the tragedy.
Prosecutors allege that he knew the information was false when he made the claim.
The prosecution opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the charge and the circumstances of the alleged offence.
The prosecution further alleged that English acknowledged the offence during a video-recorded interview conducted as part of the investigation.
Magistrate Schmidt ultimately refused bail and ordered that English remain behind bars pending the continuation of the case.
The matter was adjourned until September 16.
The MV Barima tragedy occurred on July 18, when the vessel capsized off Guyana’s coast while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini).
Authorities believe 179 people, including crew members, were aboard. Seventy-six people were rescued, 73 bodies were recovered, while 30 people remained missing.
