Nine foreign nationals, comprising six Haitian citizens and three Cuban citizens, were fined and ordered de-ported last Friday after they admitted to illegally departing from Guyana.
With the aid of interpreters, the six Haitians – Jean Dony Marcelus, Lilens Sean, Ilnord Mission, Loune Saint Georges, Miglande Jean-Simon and Marie Lovelle Isme – and the three Cubans – Raul Rodrigues, Carlos Jimenez and Lazaro Lopez – all pleaded guilty to separate charges when they were brought before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in Georgetown. Magistrate McGusty fined them each $30,000 and ordered them deported.
The charge against each stated that on February 19th at Takutu, Lethem, he/she departed Guyana illegally without the consent of an immigration officer.
The court heard that all the defendants came to Guyana legally and were each granted a six-month stay. However, on the day in question, the police at Lethem stopped the bus they were travelling in and scrutiny of their respective documents uncovered that they did not present themselves to an immigration officer before departing Guyana. They were all then arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and later charged.
