A Brazilian national was yesterday fined $30,000 and ordered deported after he admitted to using a bicycle to ride over to Guyana and failing to present himself to an immigration officer.
The charge against Jose Lopez Ferreira stated that between March 30th and April 2nd, at Lethem, he entered Guyana by crossing a land frontier and did not forthwith present himself to the nearest immigration officer.
With the aid of a translator, the 50-year-old Ferreira pleaded guilty to the charge.
According to the prosecution, on April 10th, Ferreira was detained by ranks from Berbice, who were conducting stop and search exercises at the Berbice Bridge. Ferreira was asked to produce his passport but could not and as a result he was arrested and later escorted to the Criminal investigation Department, where, with the aid of an interpreter, he admitted that he was not the holder of a passport and that he came to Guyana illegally through Lethem by means of a bicycle.
Asked by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan what he was doing in Guyana, the accused said that he was trying to find a better job.
He was later fined $30,000, with the alternative of four weeks in jail if he cannot pay it. After paying the fine or serving the default sentence, the accused is to be escorted to the nearest port of exit.
