A Czech national who failed to present himself to an immigration officer after entering Guyana was yesterday ordered deported after appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
Habb Angel who appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court admitted that on March 5 he entered Guyana by crossing a land frontier at Lethem and did not present himself to the nearest immigration officer.
The defendant, through an interpreter, pleaded guilty to the offence and said that he was sorry too. During the translation, the court was told that the defendant was relieved of his laptop computer and $1,000 Euros upon his arrest and he was enquiring how and when the items would be returned to him.
According to the interpreter, the defendant said that the police stole his computer and money when he was arrested. He said too that according to Angel, upon his arrival in Guyana, he was in the process of trying to locate an immigration officer when he was arrested by the police. The interpreter, however, said that the defendant has accepted that he did not present himself to an immigration officer and is guilty of the offence.
The acting chief magistrate subsequently ordered the prosecution to launch an investigation into the defendant’s claims to ascertain whether the items were lodged at the police station or not.
Police Corporal Venetta Pindar later reported to the court that the computer has been lodged and is in police custody and will be handed over to Angel upon his departure from Guyana. Regarding the money, however, the corporal said that contact will be made with the rank who first arrested Angel to find out whether that had been lodged also.
The prosecution made a successful request for the defendant to be deported to his country.
After hearing the case, the magistrate ordered that the Czech Republic national pay a fine of $30,000 or spend six months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered deported and will be kept in police custody in the meantime.
