On Tuesday, 13th June 2023 in Magistrate’s Court #10 twenty-six (26) foreign nationals were arraigned before Magistrate Kendra Kelly, for various immigration offences.

Two (2) Chinese nationals pled guilty to charges of Possession of an Irregular Bahamas Immigration Stamp, Unlawful use of an Irregular Bahamas Immigration Stamp, Knowingly Attempting to Mislead an Immigration Officer and Overstaying; they were convicted and fined $1,000.00 on each count or, in default of payment, serve eight months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS), sentencing to run concurrently. On the charge of Illegal Embarkation; five (5) Chinese, three (3) Jamaicans, one (1) Brazilian and one (1) Haitian national all pled guilty, they were convicted and fined $300.00 or, in default of payment, serve one month at (BDOCS).

On the charge of Overstaying; three (3) Jamaican nationals pled guilty, they were convicted and fined $200.00 or, in default of payment, serve two weeks at (BDOCS), $1,500.00 or, in default of payment, serve six months at (BDOCS), and $500.00 or, in default of payment, serve one month at (BDOCS), respectively. Five (5) Dominican nationals pled guilty, they were convicted and fined $500.00 or, in default of payment, serve one month at (BDOCS) and one (1) Haitian national pled guilty, was convicted and fined $2,000.00 or, in default of payment, serve six months at (BDOCS).

Additionally, on the charge of Illegal Landing six (6) Haitian nationals pled guilty, five were convicted and fined $300.00 or, in default of payment, serve three months at (BDOCS) and $300.00 or, in default of payment, serve nine months at (BDOCS), respectively. In addition to
the Illegal landing charge, one (1) Haitian national was also charged with Knowingly Attempting to Mislead an Immigration Officer pled guilty, was convicted and fined $1,500.00 or, in default of payment, serve five months at (BDOCS), sentencing to run concurrently.

Upon payment of all fines and completion of sentences, all migrants were ordered to be turned over to the Department of Immigration for deportation. The public is reminded that the Department is committed to executing our mandate to ensure compliance with the Statue Laws of our country.

The post 26 Foreign Nationals Convicted appeared first on ZNS BAHAMAS.