15 Haitian nationals were on Tuesday fined and ordered deported after they confessed that they left Guyana without presenting themselves to an immigration officer.
The group, consisting of ten men and five women, was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in Georgetown and with the help of an interpreter they all pleaded guilty to the individual charges read to each of them.
It is alleged that on February 23rd, at Takutu, Lethem, they departed Guyana illegally without the consent of an immigration officer. After being read the charge, each person pleaded guilty to the charge, and was fined $20,000 or an alternative of eight weeks’ imprisonment, in the event that they cannot pay the fine. They were also ordered deported upon the payment of the fine or the completion of the prison sentence.
The police prosecutor told the court that on the date mentioned in the charge, the Haitians were arrested by police ranks from Region Nine. He said the group was caught crossing the Takutu Bridge at a point away from the legal crossing point. He said that their passports were examined and it was observed that none of them had an immigration stamp giving them permission to leave the country. The group was then escorted to the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters, where further investigations were conducted and it was revealed to the police that the group of Haitians had been granted legal entry into Guyana via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri and a six-month long stay in the country.
