Bahamian charged for forged document to go on trial in October

Christopher Thomas, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:A Bahamian who was arrested for allegedly presenting a forged driver's licence to the police will have go on trial on October 17.

Kemar Haughton of a Freeport address in The Bahamas is charged with uttering a forged document, resisting arrest, and having no driver's licence.

He was allowed to return home for his job when he appeared in court in November 2011.

On Monday, when the trial was scheduled to begin, Haughton was still not present.

Haughton's lawyer, Martyn Thomas, told Resident Magistrate Sandria Wong-Small that he had received a copy of an outstanding witness statement from the Tax Office before the start of the court proceedings, and that Haughton would make himself available for court upon being given a solid date for trial.

"Once a trial date has been set, Haughton will be here," Thomas assured the court.

"He is not doing me any favours. The fact that he was allowed to travel, the court did him a favour," Wong-Small replied.

The matter was set for trial on October 17, and the warrant for Haughton was further stayed until then.

Allegations are that last October, Haughton was driving in Montego Bay, St James, when he was signalled to stop by police. He presented a Jamaican driver's licence, but it was soon revealed to be fraudulent. He was arrested and charged.

During Haughton's first court appearance on October 10 last year, Thomas had argued that his client presented a Bahamian driver's licence, but a pouch was subsequently searched and the accused man's passport and a Jamaican driver's licence were seized.

The defence asserted that while the Jamaican licence had expired, it had been legally obtained and was not presented to the police.