A man and a woman who submitted fake Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) certificates in applying to join the Jamaica Constabulary Force today pleaded guilty to fraud and were fined a total of $700,000 in the St Catherine Parish Court.

Ricardo Thomas pleaded guilty to uttering forged documents and was fined $300,000 or six months imprisonment.

Domonique Heavens, who also pleaded guilty to the same offence, was fined $400,000 or six months imprisonment.

Heavens asked Parish Judge Desiree Allyene for time to pay the fine and he was given until April 21 to do so.

Thomas was represented by attorney-at-law Earl Hamilton who begged the judge not to impose a custodial sentence on his client.

The men were charged by the police after they went to a recruitment drive at a high school in Spanish Town last year.

Both candidates presented their qualifications, which were perused and found to be fraudulent.

They were subsequently charged with uttering forged documents along with other fraud-related offences.

The Crown withdrew the other charges due to the guilty plea entered by the two.

- Rasbert Turner

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