By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
A 21-year-old mother was sentenced Friday to six months in prison for presenting a false Doctor’s Hospital COVID-19 test result when she attempted to travel earlier this week.
The prosecution told the court that Jasmine Pyfrom knowingly presented the COVID-19 test result on April 7 that was not genuine.
The prosecution claimed the accused presented the test bearing her name on an iPhone XR to a COVID-19 ambassador. The ambassador then examined the document and compared it – finding it to be fraudulent.
Police were contacted and Ms Pyfrom was cautioned and arrested. Later she admitted to taking the test but received the document from her stepfather.
At her arraignment before Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans, Pyfrom pleaded guilty to both charges – possession and uttering a forged document.
When Magistrate Vogt-Evans asked whether Pyfrom had anything to say, she replied: “I didn’t know” and explained she did take the test, but the results had expired.
The magistrate further asked if she had a child, to which Pyfrom replied that she did have a two-year-old child.
After hearing the comments of the accused, the magistrate noted that the court took this into consideration.
However, she mentioned the “extreme seriousness” of the charges and the possible effect.
The magistrate also spoke about “a lack of remorse”, adding that the excuse of not knowing was “unacceptable” as the young mother took the test and knew it was outdated.
As a result, Pyfrom was convicted and sentenced to six months behind bars.
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