Bacchus denied all the charges and was remanded to prison until Thursday, when the matter will be heard at the Springlands Magistrate's Court, Berbice.

The Court heard that Bacchus had in his possession on August 11, 2002, one blank Surinamese passport numbered R 544414 and a Netherlands passport numbered N 30182642 in favour of Ricardo Bisnauth. The items were believed to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.

Police said that on the same day without lawful authority, Bacchus also had in his possession two Surinamese immigration stamps.

The particulars to the charges of harbouring illegal immigrants, stated that on August 11 without lawful authority or excuse, Bacchus knowingly harboured or concealed Soekha Yohan, a Surinamese national and Yohan's Brazilian girlfriend, Amanda Suli Dos Svale.

Another Guyanese, Mohamed Shahuruddin, alias 'Plantain' of 168 Albert Street, Corriverton, pleaded not guilty to two counts of simple larceny and was also remanded to prison.

Shahuruddin is char ged with stealing one AK 47 rifle worth $760,000 from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) between July 9 and August 9 at Annandale, East Coast Demerara. This charge was transferred to the Vigilance Magistrate's Court for August 22.

Shahuruddin is also charged with stealing an M-70 rifle worth $760,000, the property of the GDF between August 2 and August 9. He will return to Court Nine on August 21.

The Police said that a joint Army and Police operation carried out a search on the homes of Bacchus and Shahuruddin in Berbice on the day in question.

In Bacchus' home, the Police said they unearthed the two passports, two stamps, several hand-held radios and other communications, a navigator map, a pair of high intensity binoculars and cell phones.

Police said Bacchus claimed that the items were for use on a ship, which he had purchased. He was arrested.