The five Haitian men who were intercepted at Wismar, Linden on Saturday, while on their way to Brazil, were yesterday charged with illegal entry into the country and fined a total of $100,000 for the crime.
Wilner Choisy, 24; Panel Mondesir, 34; Robenson Thermidore, 19; Jean Eliofeme, 25; and Fequi Emile, 27, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in Georgetown, where they were each fined $20,000 or in default, two weeks in prison after pleading guilty to the charge.
Eliofeme had told the court that the group only had US$200 in their possession, the equivalent of just over $40,000, but the magistrate ruled that they would not be given time to pay the fines as they were likely to be flight risks. Eliofeme and Emile were the only ones seen leaving the court later, accompanied by ranks.
The charge against the five men had stated that on September 23, 2016, at Springlands, Corentyne, they entered Guyana by sea and disembarked without the consent of an immigration officer. Police prosecutor Deniro Jones reported that on September 24, police apprehended the men while conducting a routine search on a route 94 minibus headed to Lethem. It was later found that the Haitian passports they carried bore no entry stamps.
All five defendants, who gave an address in Suriname as their place of residence and stated that they worked with a banana company, related through a translator that they were on their way to Brazil to visit with family who reside there.
Eliofeme was the only one who attempted to answer the magistrate’s question regarding why they had not presented themselves to an immigration officer upon entry and stated that their luggage was checked by a woman upon landing, although he was unsure whether she was affiliated with the immigration office.
Thousands of Haitians have been leaving Haiti in search for a better life as conditions there worsen. Many who had found work in Brazil through a visa programme are also leaving there because of the tough economic circumstances there.
Reuters last Friday reported that acting Haitian President Jocelerme Privert told the United Nations General Assembly that Haiti’s October presidential election will be significant as the United States toughens its stance toward a wave of Haitian immigrants.
More than 5,000 Haitians have entered the United States without visas this fiscal year through Oct. 1, according to Department of Homeland Security officials, up from 339 in fiscal year 2015, Reuters said.
