Tashieka Mair, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Two brothers who committed fraud, in what they claim was a bid to escape war in their homeland of Sri Lanka, were fined $500,000 when they pleaded guilty in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court.

Mahendnan Batumalai faced charges of possession of forged documents and two counts of uttering forged documents while his older brother, Selvakumar Sivasubramanian, answered to possession of forged documents and aiding and abetting the use of forged document charges.

Both men were fined $100,000 or six months' jail time on each count. If the fines are not paid, the sentences will run concurrently.

On September 16, Batumalai went to the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay to board an Air Transit flight to Toronto, Canada where the documents were discovered.