A CARPENTER, caught with forged $5,000 bills while being in custody for an alleged cell phone theft, was granted $75,000 bail yesterday.Guy Matheson, of Lot 59 Enmore North, East Coast Demera, appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
He is charged with having possession of four five thousand dollars notes without lawful authority, in Georgetown on December 16, knowing them to be forged.
Matheson pleaded guilty to the offence and said he found the counterfeit money in an envelope lying on the road and he picked it up.
He claimed he had no idea it was fake.
“I never see the green money before,” he told the magistrate, adding that he shares his life with a wife and children.
Matheson said the abandoned envelope also contained two $100 which he spent on himself and then walked around to find a shop and enquire about the ‘funny-looking money.’
He said his inquires were unsuccessful and his luck was short lived when he was confronted by the police, who arrested him for an alleged larceny offence.

BOGUS NOTES
Matheson said it was through the investigations that the police discovered the bogus notes and they proceeded to slap him with an additional charge.
The magistrate then entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Matheson asked the magistrate to note that the initial allegation against him, which he denied, was not brought before the Court.
Police Corporal Bharat Mangru, prosecuting, said the investigation was not yet complete since statements were not filed.
The Chief Magistrate then set bail for Matheson, who is scheduled to return to Court on February 7, 2014.