Lolita “Lola” Callendar was caught attempting to forge another HIV test in Guyana.
A few months ago after being released from prison in the BVI for a similar conviction, the beautician upon returning to Guyana paraded another counselling and testing card on social media that suggested she is HIV negative.
However, a probe conducted by the Georgetown public hospital has established that it’s fake. This was confirmed by Chief executive officer of the Hospital, Brigadier George Lewis who said that the document did not originate at the Georgetown Public hospital, even though it implies that.
In light of this evidence, the National Aids Programme Secretariat also conducted an investigation which traced the fake testing card to an HIV Counsellor who colluded with Lola in the fraudulent process. The man who worked at NAPS allegedly provided Lola with the blank card, allowing her the opportunity to input false information. This same counsellor also worked at a non-governmental organization that is involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS, but that contract ended in December, according to research by News Source Guyana. As a result, it is likely that the co-conspirator might be suspended by NAPS before facing dismissal or criminal charges before the court.
This reality was resulted from Lola posting the fake card to social media a few months ago. Employees at the Georgetown Public hospital quickly recognized that it was fake because it did not carry the Hospital’s stamp; instead, that information was written in. It is alleged that all the other information was written in allegedly, by the accused herself.
Unfortunately, this is not the accused first run in with the law. Last year she was sentenced to 6 months in jail in the BVI for attempting to fake an HIV test at a few medical institutions in the territory. Luckily, the health officials recognized and alerted the police and she was prosecuted accordingly.
Last Friday Lola was also found guilty of assaulting another beautician in Guyana and ordered to pay the sum of G$800,000 ($4,000) to the woman. The magistrate after reviewing the video of the fight that went viral in 2018, concluded that Lola was the aggressor and ordered her to pay the fine or face jail time.