A month after the Fyzabad Secondary School was booted from the Secondary Schools Football League for submitting false academic certificates for two players, principal Troy Jebodhsingh and physical education teacher Nigel Lakhan appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court on six charges of corruption.
Jebodhsingh and Lakhan were each granted $120,000 bail with a $15,000 cash alternative.
Jebodhsingh, 50, has 27 years with the Teaching Service Commission of which seven was spent as a principal. The father of two also served as a police officer for four years.
Senior Magistrate Cherril-Anne Antoine read the charges that on September 6 at the Ministry of Education along Farrah Street, San Fernando, Jebodhsingh, being in a public office as the principal of the Fyzabad Secondary School, misbehaved by submitting A Level recommendation forms for 2017 O’Level results for two students to a School Supervisor III of at the St Patrick District Office of the Ministry of Education, knowing that they were not a bona_fide students of the Fyzabad Secondary School and was not qualified to pursue the Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examination (CAPE).
Also, on September 5 at Guapo Road, Fyzabad, while as principal of the Fyzabad Secondary School, him being a member of Teaching Service Commission, contrary to the Education Act, did misbehave himself in public office by signing a declaration on a Secondary School Football League players’ form, authorising the students to participate in the Secondary School Football League’s premier league competition knowing they were not bona_fide students and were not qualified to pursue CAPE.
The charges against Lakhan, 40, a teacher for 21 years, were that on September 5 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, he submitted player registrations forms for the ineligible students, bearing the school’s stamp and the principal’s signature, knowing that they were false and intended to defraud. Also, at Guapo Road, Fyzabad, he intended to defraud with a forged Secondary School Football League’s player registration form bearing the school’s stamp and the signature of the principal.
Lakhan and Jebodhsingh were jointly charged with two offences that on September 5 at the Ministry of Education office along Farrah Street, San Fernando, they uttered false Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) Secondary Education Certificates for January 2017 for the two players in contravention of the Forgery Act.
The charges against both accused were laid indictably, however, prosecutor Cleyon Seedan did not object to bail.
Jebodhsingh was represented by attorney Chateram Sinanan while Chris Ramlal stood for Lakhan.
Both lawyers protested against the arrest of their clients on Monday before warrants were issued. However, Seedan said the Fraud Squad investigators led by Sgt Smith were liaising with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The charges that occurred in Fyzabad were adjourned to November 22 at the Siparia Magistrates’ court while the Couva matters will be held at the Couva Magistrates’ Court on November 23. They are expected to return to the San Fernando court on November 28.