For $400,000, anyone can easily bypass three hard years of tertiary education and buy a university degree.

A sterling example of the fraud is the recent case where the police arrested two men from Greater Portmore, St Catherine for the practice.

Allegations outlined in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday said one of the accused men, Antonia Mullings, was "employed to a prominent tertiary institution in the Corporate Area" when "he forged university certificates and sold them for $400,000."

sting operation

The allegations also outlined that police were made aware of the situation and how one such fake certificate was to be handed over to the co-accused, businessman, Corey Lawrence, 30. Both parties were reported arrested as Lawrence collected the forged document.

Mulling's lawyer pointed out that his client did not collect $400,000, as the clerk of the court said. Instead, he said that the money was merely an offer made to his client. The attorney said he wanted to make it clear that it had never been the situation where the police set up a sting operation and then arrested his client during that procedure, but that his client duly cooperated with the lawmen, leading to the other arrest.

He make a bail application saying Mullings was "a bright student" who has been in custody since January 22.

Resident Magistrate Georgianna Fraser offered each accused $500,000 bail with surety. She also ordered that their travel documents be seized and they are to report to the Greater Portmore police ahead of the February 11 return date.