23 Haitians fined for attempting to depart Guyana illegally

At least 23 Haitians were on Thursday arraigned for attempting to depart Guyana illegally when they made their appearance before acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The charge stated that on January 13, 2020 at Lethem, they attempted to depart Guyana illegally without the consent of an immigration officer.
The group which consists of both males and females pleaded guilty to the charge with the aid of an interpreter.
The foreign nationals explained that they were unaware they had to present themselves to an immigration officer before travelling to Brazil.
According to information, on the day in question the 23 Haitian nationals were caught en route to Brazil.
When apprehended, they were asked to present their travel documents and it was observed that the defendants legally entered Guyana, since they were granted a six-month stay in the country.
However, it was discovered that when the defendants arrived through the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), they indicated that they would be locally residing in Georgetown.
Investigations revealed that the defendants did not present themselves to an immigration officer before leaving for Brazil.
As such, each of them was fined $30,000 or if in default, would server 40 days’ imprisonment.