Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
Venezuelans, Guyanese fined for illegal entry
A total of ten persons, among whom was a Guyanese woman, were each fined $30,000 for failing to undergo the legal process of entering Guyana when they were yesterday indicted before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
Appearing at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court were Guyanese Venus Elisabeth Mohammed and the Venezuelans Jesus Pernandez, Juan Diaz Mahamito, James Ado, Berta Innis Rodriquez, Oscar Martinez, Kennedy Jose, Lendal Mohabito, Fernando and Luis Hernando Galedaz, who all pleaded guilty to the charge laid against them.
When the charge was read to them by the Chief Magistrate there was initially a bit of reluctance to accept that their presence in Guyana was illegal, but the accused all eventually accepted that on January 18, at Charity, Essequibo they entered Guyana by sea and disembarked without the consent of an Immigration officer.
Attorney at Law Jerome Khan who entered an appearance on behalf of two of the accused explained that when the entourage entered Guyana there was no Immigration Officer at Charity’s point of entry so they decided to venture to Georgetown to report to Immigration.
The lawyer related that he could verify that at least one of the passports had a visa which would have been expiring until April 13 this year. Khan said that they failed to present themselves, but were not in Guyana ‘illegally’.
The Chief Magistrate however stated that notwithstanding the visa, it was imperative for them to present themselves to an Immigration officer. Additionally, the Prosecution, represented by Inspector Michael Grant, said that they had already passed two ports of entry but had failed to present themselves so as to have their passports stamped.
Based on what was translated by Corporal Peters, the court heard that they were mostly first-time tourists. Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry thereafter fined them and informed them that failing to pay same in the next seven days would result in three weeks’ imprisonment.
Some of the Venezuelans charged
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