Seven Haitians fined for illegally leaving Guyana

Seven Haitian nationals, who claimed they did not know the immigration procedures, were yesterday fined by acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus after they admitted to illegally exiting from Guyana.

Rosetta Alerte, 50, Fredo Cadet, 20, Elta Etienne, 26, Miada Jean Pierre, 25, Merelli Talias, 32, Fleur Bane, 27, and Barnabie Dorsabi, 26, appeared before the acting Chief Magis-trate and pleaded guilty to individual charges that on January 8th, 2020, at Takutu, Lethem, they departed Guyana illegally without presenting themselves to an immigration officer.

After the charges were read, the police prosecutor told the court that the Haitians arrived in Guyana on January 5th, 2020, via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, and were granted a six-month long stay in the country.

On January 7th, 2020, the police, acting on information, went to the Takutu Bridge, Lethem where they met the Haitians.

They showed the police their travel documents and upon inspection, the police noticed that the seven were legally in Guyana. However, they left Guyana and went to Brazil, where they were denied entry and sent back to Guyana. As a result, they were arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department and further investigations were conducted, resulting in the charges.

They all agreed that the police’s facts were correct. They added that they did not know the correct procedures to exit the country. They had entered the country and were taken to the border, where they hoped to exit the country, go to Brazil and then move from there.

They all shared an attorney, who told the court that the seven persons spent over US$1800 to enter Guyana legally.

After listening to both parties, acting Chief Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus fined each person $40,000 or an alternative of 40 days in prison. She also informed the group that there was another charge against them but that the charge was not clear, as a result of which it would be brought to the court again on January 15th.