A Barbadian national was yesterday denied bail after appearing in a city court on a charge that he overstayed in the country for almost three years.
It was stated that Kevin Pilgrim, 36, of Tuschen New Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, having been permitted to stay in Guyana from April 10th, 2012 to October 11th, 2012, failed to comply with the conditions under which his permit was granted and overstayed his welcome.
The accused, who has been in Guyana since October 11th 2012, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Attorney Melville Duke, who represented Pilgrim, stated that Pilgrim had taken all the steps necessary to attain legal status in the country, including submitting applications to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Guyana Elections Commission, both of which went unanswered.
Duke further informed the court that Pilgrim is engaged to a Guyanese national and the two are expecting a child. The attorney pointed out that according to the laws, once Pilgrim marries a national, he attains automatic citizenship.
He requested reasonable bail from Magistrate Ann McLennan so that his client would have time to retrieve the relevant documents to be presented to the court. Duke stated that Pilgrim was renting a house in Tuschen with his fiancé and his whereabouts are known by the authorities, thereby disqualifying him as a flight risk.
But Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones objected to bail being granted, while pointing out the length of time that has lapsed since Pilgrim entered the country.
Surrounding the circumstances of the defendant’s arrest, Jones told the court that the police, acting on information, had travelled to Parika, where they met Pilgrim at a gas station. After questioning him, it was discovered that the defendant had been in the country illegally and Pilgrim was subsequently charged.
Magistrate McLennan after hearing the particulars of the case, denied Pilgrim bail and transferred the matter to the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, where it will be called on September 7th.
