BREAKING: International fugitive nabbed at GRA trying obtain driver’s license

CAPTURED: Benvolio Francois Caitanya

TWENTY Seven year Guyanese National Benvolio Francois Caitanya who is wanted in Canada and listed on Interpol’s Wanted list was on Thursday afternoon nabbed at the Guyana Revenue Authority Camp Street Office as he attempted to secure a driver’s license.

Benvolio Francois Caitanya is identified on Interpol’s list with Identification Number 175422369. The site listed his birthday as December 21, 1991 and Georgetown Guyana as his place of birth.

BIG Smith News Watch has been told that Benvolio Francois Caitanya at the time of his detention had in his possession a Canadian Identification Card. he was identified as wanted by Interpol after the systems at the Guyana Revenue Authority picked up that he had been red-flag.

Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority Godfrey Statia confirmed the development and stated that the fugitive was immediately handed over the police who were informed as soon as the systems picked up the alert.

He further stated that the Guyana Revenue Authority receives alert from Interpol and the United Nations and such data is immediately entered into the system in order to facilitate operations like the one on Thursday afternoon.

Sources over at the Guyana Police Force Confirmed that Benvolio Francois Caitanya is in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department and is being processed. Up to press time, it was unclear if the Canadian high Commission here in Guyana was briefed about the development.

Benvolio Francois Caitanya is wanted in Canada for ‘unauthorized possession of a firearm, pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon, use firearm during commission of an indictable offence, discharge firearm with intent to wound, endanger life, conspiracy to commit murder, occupy motor vehicle with a firearm, attempt murder and fail to comply recognize.

In September, Benvolio Valenski was charged along with another man for conspiracy to forge documents and uttering forged documents.

The court was told back then that in February and September of this year, the two conspired to forge a driver’s license in the name of he, Benvolio Valenski.

He along with his co accused were also charged with forging a Guyana National Identification Card and was also charged with presenting false documents to an officer at the Central Immigration and Passport Office in order to obtain a new passport under a new name of Roy Anthony Sewnarine. Benvolio Francois Caitanya was granted bail in the sum of $300,000 while his co accused was granted bail in the sum of $200,000.

However at the time that he was charged and placed before the court and also had his pre-trial liberty granted. local law enforcement was unaware that he was an international fugitive. It did not occur to them that a man who was trying so desperately to change his identity should have been properly and thoroughly screened against existing data and mechanisms to ensure that he was not wanted anywhere else.