NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A Bahamian woman returned to court yesterday to be arraigned on additional charges of forgery and possession of a forged document in relation to the recent trend of fake coronavirus tests.
Laderia Russell, 35, once again appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt and was charged with a total of 160 counts.
She previously pleaded not guilty to possession of forged documents charges read to her on Monday and was subsequently read the additional charges, including forgery charges, yesterday.
Prosecutors allege that between November 2020 and April 2021, Russell had in her possession forged Doctor’s Hospital Health System negative COVID-19 RT-PCR tests, in the names of multiple different people, knowing they were not genuine.
She pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was granted $40,000 bail with three sureties.
She is also required to sign into the Carmichael Road police station regularly.
She is expected to return to court for trial on April 26.
Russell was represented by attorneys Wandawn Miller-Fraser and Ian Cargill.
